The Wrong Side of the Line
by Rylee Jane
Summary: In a world where a lot of things are different, some things always stay the same. An AU fic that finds Buffy and Spike on separate sides of the fight, yet again, only vampires aren't the bad guys.
1. Shades of Gray

Title: The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
Rating: PG-13/ moderate language, some violence  
  
Summary: In a world where a lot of things are different, some things are always the same. B/S  
  
Disclaimer: They aren't mine. If they were, I'd be a millionaire. But I'm not.  
  
Thanks to my beta-reader, Spoikes-pet, and to Shaw_thang, just because she's a sweetheart.  
  
The outposts that lined the river were all silent during the day, although anyone entering would have found a great deal of activity deep inside. Of course, no one entered during the day. There were guards just inside every entrance, and they had standing orders to shoot any unauthorized beings on sight.  
  
In the concrete bowels of outpost 14, just to the north of Kimble Road, the officers meeting was starting. "Sorry to call you all here so late," Colonel Alexander Harris began, "but there's a situation that needs to be handled quickly. Our scouts have located a camp about two miles east of town, and we believe it to be hostile. We have not yet been able to determine their intentions or their numbers, but I think our best of course of action would be to attack as soon as possible and head off any aggressive moves on their part."  
  
At the far end of the table, their leader listened with growing impatience. When he failed to respond to the colonel's suggestion, the man continued. "They could pose a threat if they attack during the day. I think an offensive move on our part is not only justified, it's totally necessary." The colonel again waited for a response that didn't come. Finally, he took his seat.  
  
"Are you done now?" the leader snarled.  
  
"Y-yes, sir."  
  
"Fine. Denied."  
  
Colonel Harris sighed. "Sir, if we don't attack them, they will certainly attack us. If they chose to attack during the day, as these cowards tend to do, we will be severely hampered. We may well be defeated."  
  
The general leaned back in his chair, smirking. "If that happens, Colonel, you have my permission to say 'I told you so'. Gentlemen, let's get one thing straight. Those creatures out there may be barbarians, but we are certainly not. I know that the belief in this world is that all creatures which are not like us are against us, and must therefore be killed. Well, I disagree. These hostiles have done nothing to threaten us in any way. They deserve the chance to stay there, so long as they continue to let us be." He stood, placing his hands flat on the metal table and leaning towards his inferiors. "You've all heard the order, don't fire unless fired upon. From here on out, that is the standing order here. If they make no move to harm you, you will let them pass. Is that understood?"  
  
There were grumbles at the table, but everyone answered in the affirmative.  
  
"Good. Glad we're on the same page then. Anyone failing to follow this order gets a one way ticket to the brig. Meeting adjourned."  
  
Colonel Harris followed the others out of the meeting room, then turned to wait for his superior. "Spike, are you sure this is the best plan of action? They could be members of the rebellion, and if they are, they won't hesitate to kill us. You know that."  
  
Spike sighed, running his hand through his hair. "We can't just go and shoot them just because they may be against us. They're outnumbered, no matter where they turn. I'm sure they know that by now. They won't attack us without the numbers being on their side. If we force them to fight though, they will. Let's just sit on it a while and see what happens."  
  
Xander shrugged. "You're the boss, boss. I'll send a unit out tonight to keep an eye on them. Just in case."  
  
Spike nodded. "Keep them at a distance. Don't want to provoke anything."  
  
Spike started off in the direction of his quarters, his shoulders slumping. When had things stopped being so black and white for him? There had been a line there once, hadn't there? Where the hell did this gray area come from?  
  
He knew where, although he wouldn't admit to anyone, not even himself. She was the reason there was a gray area. Her and her damned friends. They didn't play by the rules, and somehow, they'd managed to change exactly what the rules were.   
  
He remembered a time when there was no gray area at all. They were nasty creatures and had to be taken out. They were all that way, there were no exceptions. None of them ever lived after being captured. There was no rehabilitation, there were no second chances, no deals. Humans who were caught were put to death. There was no other option. They were savages and had to be removed.  
  
The ones that really hurt were the children. He knew they were doing the beasts a favor by ending their wretched existence, but the children--- it was hardly their fault that they were turned into evil creatures. They couldn't help what had happened to them. Still, they were as savage as the adults, and had to be taken care of. Spike had always refused to do the deed himself, but he didn't stand in the way when others did. Even when he'd been no more than a foot soldier, he couldn't bring himself to put down the young ones.  
  
Now he didn't have to. He could give orders like the one he'd just served, because the human species was dwindling away, and most of them had taken to hiding in the remote areas that the vamp armies tended to ignore. As long as they kept to themselves, they usually weren't bothered. Their numbers were kept in check well enough, just so an overthrow wouldn't be possible.  
  
Spike stretched out on his bed and shut his eyes. He tossed and turned for hours before he finally drifted off to sleep, and all he dreamed about that day were shades of gray. 


	2. Bargaining

Title: The Wrong Side of the Line - Chapter 2  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for disclaimers, ratings, etc.  
  
Thanks again to SpoikesPet and Shaw_thang  
  
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Spike awoke to a loud, persistent banging on his door. "What?" he snapped, getting up and yanking the door open.  
  
"Sir, a human ambassador is here to see you. A Buffy Summers."  
  
He sighed, nodding. "Show her to my office."  
  
The soldier saluted and headed off down the hall at a run. Spike went to his closet and pulled the file box out from its hiding space in the corner. Her file was still on top, the only one in the box that was still active. The rest of the ambassadors had long ago been killed or had surrendered themselves to the order. Only this girl held out.  
  
He grabbed the papers and tucked them under his arm, shoving the box back into the cupboard.  
  
He walked into his office and gave the girl a less-than-pleasant nod. "Miss Summers. Can't say it's a pleasure to see you."  
  
"No, I don't suppose you can. That's fine since I'd rather not be here either."  
  
"Then why are you?"  
  
She had been leaning casually against the wall, studying her fingernails. Now, she looked at him, her hazel eyes cold. "I want to make a trade."  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"Would I have come for any other reason?"  
  
He leaned back in his chair and smirked at her. "Thought maybe you'd decided to give up the fight and turn yourself in."  
  
She laughed, rolling her eyes. "You wish. I'd sooner die."  
  
"That can be arranged."  
  
She tilted her chin up defiantly. "Ready to try it?"  
  
He sighed. "Just tell me why you're here. I'm a busy vampire."  
  
"OK, fine. I want food. I've got people starving at my camp and I need food for them."  
  
"You know, if you just turn yourselves in, you could have all the food you ever needed."  
  
"Not a chance."  
  
"It'd be a lot easier on you. Look, I know you have your pride, but it's going to get you killed. I can't protect you out there. One of my guys with a chip on his shoulder could take you all out in a heartbeat. Come here and I can guarantee your safety."  
  
"Over my dead body. Now are we gonna' trade or what?"  
  
He shrugged. "What are you going to give me?"  
  
"The gem of Amara."  
  
He sat up, a look of shock flashing briefly on his face. "So you're the one who has it?"  
  
"That's right. And I'll give it to you, for a month's worth of food."  
  
"A month? For how many people?"  
  
"Can't tell you that, now can I? You let me get it and take it out of here."  
  
"That's not going to happen." He shook his head. "A month's worth for the gem?"  
  
"Take it or leave it. Next time, it'll be two month's worth."  
  
"You got a list of what you need?"  
  
She patted her pocket. "Right here."  
  
"And the gem?"  
  
She laughed. "What do you think I am, stupid? It's in a safe place. We get the food, you get the ring."  
  
"Give me the list."  
  
She handed it to him and he picked up the phone, placing a call to the kitchen. "Captain Barker, please. Captain, I have an order to place and I need it all packed up and ready to go within the hour. Put it on a refrigerated truck and have it in the dock. I expect this to stay between us, Captain, is that understood? That's correct. Here's what I need."  
  
When he'd finished reading off the list and threatened the lives of anyone who told about this, he hung up and turned back to Buffy. "It's going to be a bit. Why don't you come and have some breakfast with me?"  
  
She shrugged. "I could use a bite to eat. I'll have the gem back here tomorrow."  
  
He shook his head, standing. "Keep it. If it fell into the wrong hands around here, it could cause some serious trouble. Besides, you may need it as a bargaining chip later. Could save your life."  
  
She looked stunned. "You mean you trust me with it?"  
  
"For now, yes. I may live to regret it, but what choice do I really have?"  
  
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An hour and a half later, Spike led Buffy into the kitchen area. "Captain Barker."  
  
The Captain stepped out from behind a large palette of food and saluted. "General. We're almost finished, sir. Would you like to double check the order?"  
  
Spike gritted his teeth. "Captain, I told you we would need it in an hour. It's been almost two. Why are you not finished yet?"  
  
"Sir, we had to have some of the supplies brought from another outpost. I had them brought over as quickly as possible. They just arrived a few minutes ago and we're in the process of moving them into the truck now."  
  
Spike nodded, then turned to Buffy. "Let's do a quick inventory and help them finish loading."  
  
She snatched the list out of his hands and moved to the back of the refrigerator. The Captain was still standing there, obviously waiting for further orders, and Spike shot him a look. "I assume that you've told no one why we're doing this or where it's going."  
  
"Of course not, sir. It's classified. Just like you said."  
  
"Good man. Finish getting this stuff loaded so we can get it out of here as quickly as possible."  
  
Captain Barker saluted again and hurried off to get the last bit onto the truck. Spike went to see how Buffy was doing.  
  
She was standing behind a large palette, counting boxes of cereal. "You know," she said as he came around to stand next to her. "You have all this food just sitting here, and there are people out there starving. That would be bad enough on its own, but when you add in the fact that vampires don't even eat food, it just seems downright selfish."  
  
He laughed. "Well, we have to have something to feed the workers, don't we? And you and yours can have all you want. All you have to do is turn yourselves in."  
  
She rolled her eyes, and went back to counting.  
  
"Is it all here?"  
  
She nodded. "Most of it. We're going to have to keep the truck for a while, though. Our refrigeration units were lost in an attack."  
  
"That's fine. When was this attack?"  
  
She sighed. "Two months ago."  
  
"Vampires?"  
  
"Turlok Demons. A whole swarm of them. They just came to get our food, and I would have given them some but we didn't have any to give." She propped one hand on her hip and looked at him coolly. "It's getting bad out there, Spike. We have to do something."  
  
"What do you expect us to do? I've given orders for my troops to leave any and all humans alone, as long as you all do the same for us. I can't force any other troops to do the same, but at least you've got that."  
  
"What the hell good does that do us? We're dying off in droves, Spike! We lost four from our camp in the last week. And it's not just the humans. The demon populations are dwindling away to nothing. Do you really want a world with nothing but vampires?"  
  
"It's the way it's always been, Buffy. You have to know that. You're the newcomers. People are afraid of anything that's different."  
  
"That doesn't mean different is wrong. That's what we've been trying to prove for years upon years, and you all won't listen."  
  
"I've listened. I know that you aren't all savages anymore, that you deserve a chance at life, but I've done all I can do. The rest is up to you."  
  
She sighed. "We've tried. I don't know what more we can do."  
  
Spike shook his head. "Just lay low for a while, give things a chance to calm down. And get to the rebels and tell them to lay off. They're the ones that are giving you all a bad name."  
  
She laughed, and he frowned at her. "Spike, you're talking to one of the so-called rebels. There are no militant groups out there. There never were."  
  
"That's not true. Outpost 18 was attacked three weeks ago. You can't tell me that it wasn't an attempt at overthrow."  
  
She smiled but it was forced. "So that's what they've told you? Let me tell you the truth. One of our camps was raided in the middle of the night. They--- your side--- took all the children and herded them back to that outpost. The humans only attacked to get the kids back. They were baited, Spike. They were drawn to the outpost and killed."  
  
Spike's mind reeled. He didn't know what to think of that. He was inclined to believe the official reports, of course, because they were from his people. But Buffy had never lied to him. If he had to give her one thing, it was a fair amount of trust. "Is that so?"  
  
She nodded. "'Fraid so."  
  
"What happened to the kids?"  
  
"Dead. Of course."  
  
Spike swallowed hard. "I didn't know---."  
  
"Well, now you do. Something has to be done, Spike."  
  
She turned to finish the inventory and Spike reached out and caught her arm. "What, uh--- how's Dawnie?"  
  
"She's fine. She lost her boyfriend last month."  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that. What happened to him?"  
  
"The virus got him."  
  
"I thought the virus had been eradicated."  
  
She laughed harshly. "Stop believing everything you hear. It was as good as wiped out until your government reintroduced it. It's their idea of population control."  
  
"I should have known," Spike muttered. He'd made it a point to stay out of the loop on most of what the government was doing, just because he knew he was too soft-hearted to deal with most of it. Still, there were some things that he really should have paid attention to. Especially when it concerned genocide.  
  
"Yeah, well, like you said, there's only so much you can do," Buffy snipped, going back to her counting.  
  
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Chapter 3 is coming soon! Now that you've read, go review! Please? I'm not above begging, but I really don't want to... 


	3. The Beginning of the Line

Title: The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for disclaimers, rating and summary  
  
Thanks to all of you who gave me reviews. It really keeps me going just to know that you're reading it!  
  
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She drove across the bridge, keeping her pass on the dashboard, just in case. They stopped her at every checkpoint, more often than not wanting to check in the back to see what she was carrying, and often calling back to the outpost to make sure that Spike had indeed given her permission to be taking the food. And at every one, she got some strange looks, but was waved on through with no further problems. What the hell is he telling them? she wondered. Then, at the next to last point on the route, she got her answer.  
  
The guard had just handed her back the pass and orders, when he gave her a wink and leaned in to whisper, "Man, I would love to have your job."  
  
She shot him an odd look. "What job would that be?"  
  
He looked a little confused, then laughed. "Oh, right. Classified, of course. I won't tell anyone. Good disguise though. I would believe you were a human any day."  
  
She had to smile. Good one, Spike. Way to get a dig in there. "Not a word," she said softly and the man saluted.  
  
"Of course not, sir."  
  
"Ma'am," she hissed.  
  
He winked. "Of course. Ma'am."  
  
That son of a bitch, she thought, pulling the truck away from the gate. She had to hand it to him though. It was a good excuse to keep them both out of trouble. Even if Spike had told them all that she was a man in disguise.  
  
She pulled up to the camp about an hour before daybreak. She was immediately surrounded by people as she stepped out of the truck. Her mother pushed her way to the front and gave her a hug. "Did you get it?"  
  
"Every bit of it."  
  
"Are you going to give him the ring?" Joyce asked, following her daughter around to the back of the truck.  
  
"Don't have to. He told me to keep it in case we needed a good bargaining tool later."  
  
Joyce grinned. "That's my boy. So what did you get?"  
  
Buffy opened the door and hauled herself into the large cargo area. "Everything. Potatoes, vegetables, water, milk, meat, fish--- you name it. He even threw in some coffee and chocolate. And we get to keep the truck."  
  
"That's wonderful," Joyce smiled. "So how did he manage to get that cleared with the higher ups?"  
  
Buffy had to laugh. "You'd be amazed. Actually, no you probably wouldn't." She sat down on the back of the truck and stretched. "He told everyone that I was a vampire spy sent out to infiltrate the human camps, and apparently, that I was a man in disguise."  
  
"Who's a man in disguise?" Dawn asked, sauntering up behind Joyce and throwing her arms around her mother's neck.  
  
"Your sister, according to Spike."  
  
"I always suspected as much," Dawn grinned.  
  
"Ha ha," Buffy droned. "Get up here and help me get this cereal out. People are going to want breakfast soon."  
  
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Spike sat at his desk, feet propped on the smooth metal surface, head leaned against the back of his leather chair. He had long ago given up on trying to get any sleep that day, and had kidded himself that he might actually be able to get some work done. It wasn't happening.  
  
Instead, his mind kept wandering back to Buffy Summers. And it was irritating the piss out of him. He hadn't made it this far in life by letting some little human get to him. He'd worked his ass off to be where he was now, kissed a long and prestigious line of asses to get here, and he couldn't very well blow it all over this bloody human. Granted, he didn't have to worry so much about who he pissed off now, because the lips were on his butt this time around, but making waves still wasn't the brightest move. Vampires higher in rank than him had been known to disappear with no explanation when they didn't play the game. It wasn't far-fetched to believe he could be targeted soon if he didn't fly right. The government kept tabs on him; he knew that for a fact.  
  
He opened his eyes and stared up at the camera in the corner of his office. Just for good measure, he waved his middle finger at it and grinned. "Morning, boys. How's it hanging?"  
  
The voice came over his intercom a few seconds later. "Good morning, sir. Is there something we can do for you?"  
  
"Nope, just making sure you're on your toes."  
  
The man chuckled. "Of course we are, sir. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."  
  
The com clicked off and Spike sighed again. He desperately needed to get something accomplished that day. He had told Harris that they should pull the troops off surveillance of the human camp, which had gotten him an odd look. He had used the excuse that Buffy had been there to discuss a possible treaty and they didn't need anything to arouse suspicion and mess up the talks.  
  
Harris was a bright boy and had only reluctantly taken Spike's word that it was the smartest move. He didn't believe it by any means, but as long as the two of them had been friends, he was obliged to give Spike the benefit of the doubt.  
  
Spike went over the latest memos that had been left on his desk. There was no mention of any revolts lately, and more of the humans were surrendering themselves to work camps now than ever before.  
  
The camps. He had been a hundred percent behind the camps when the idea had been proposed, almost seventy years ago. In fact, he had somewhat naïvely believed that humans would be lining up to come to them. After all, wasn't that a better option than staying out in the wilderness, waiting to die of starvation or the virus, if not just being hunted down by vampire renegades? Only, the humans didn't line up. They didn't come at all. And when the vamp government had started to gather them up in an attempt to force them in, more had found ways to kill themselves than had gone willingly. It was, more or less, a disaster.  
  
Now, the camps were filled to capacity most of the time, but still not with willing guests. There were daily executions from failed escape attempts, and these people were willing to take a chance at death rather than spend any more time in the camp.  
  
It was beyond Spike's imagination what was going on in these people's heads.  
  
The loud beep of his intercom startled him out of his thoughts. "You there, boss?"  
  
"Yeh, Harris. What's up?"  
  
There was a moment of hesitation, then Harris sighed. "They just brought Rupert Giles in."  
  
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So? What do you think? Do I get an A+ or what? You have to keep reviewing so I'll know to keep writing. Chapter 4 is in the editing stages right now, and should be up within the next couple of days. 


	4. The Story of Us

It had been the one memory that Spike could never quite repress. He could usually, at the very least, push them to the back of his mind and find other things to keep him occupied until he didn't have to think about them anymore. But this one, this one miserable, heartbreaking memory, was always there. Even if he could manage the entire night without actually having it hit him straight on, it would creep up in his dreams during the day.  
  
And now, as he sat thinking about what Xander had just told him, it was right there again. He silently cursed Rupert Giles for being caught now, so soon after Buffy's visit. Maybe if he'd had the chance to get past seeing her again---. He gave up trying to get rid of it and let it come, thinking for the hundredth time that maybe this time, he could banish it for good.  
  
She'd come to their room one day after duty (it was actually his room, but she stayed there so much that he'd considered it theirs), and gathered some of her things. She had told him that she was just taking them to the laundry and that it didn't mean anything, but her demeanor told him differently. She was sad, almost broody, and he'd asked her several times to tell him what was wrong. She only shook her head. "I just had a long night, Spike. I swear that's all it is."  
  
That had been the beginning of the end for them. She came by less and less, and rarely if ever spent the night with him. Then one night, he'd come back to his quarters to find that all of her things had been taken. He'd rushed to her room, pounding on the door and begging for her to talk to him, making such a scene that they'd sent the guards down to see what was going on. Only when one of them asked her to open the door and talk to them did she respond. She'd told them that it was all right, that the two of them were going through a rough spot, and once she'd convinced them that Spike wasn't stalking her, they went away and she grudgingly let him in.  
  
"What the bloody hell is going on, Buffy? You just decide that we're having a 'rough spot' all on your own, did you? 'Cause I thought everything was going just fine."  
  
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, and his anger melted right away. "Spike, sit down. Please." He did, wanting to reach out and take her hand, but thinking better of it when he noticed that her arms were folded firmly across her chest. Instead, he just sat and waited until she spoke. "I---I know that you don't understand what's been going on with me, and I really don't want to have to tell you now, but I guess I kind of owe it to you." She turned her back on him now, pacing between her desk and her closet. "I--- Well, you know the savages we brought in last week?"  
  
"The humans? The ones from Doralville?"  
  
She nodded. "When we were talking to them about rehabilitation, something happened. There was--- this little girl with them, just a tiny little thing, maybe 6 years old. And when I was walking past her, she reached out and touched my leg, and the--- the weirdest thing happened." Her voice hit a strangled tone here, and he had to fight to keep from standing and going to her. "When she touched me, I felt this---this shock go through me."  
  
"Shock? She hurt you?"  
  
She shook her head. "No, it didn't hurt. I---I wish I could explain it. It was warm. Kind of like a---a hot shower on a frosty night. Where the heat hits you so quick that it stings, but then you get used to it, and it's just cozy. And---and for just a minute, I felt this---this weird feeling in my chest. It was like a--- a drum. Like someone was playing a drum in my chest. I wish I could tell you, Spike." She turned to look at him now and there were tears in her eyes. "It was absolutely beautiful."  
  
He stood now, anger welling inside him. "Beautiful? Hardly! She probably infected you with something. You should have gone to the infirmary and been checked out. God knows what she gave you."  
  
She laughed. "It wasn't an illness, Spike. I think it was her soul. I think she was just reaching out to touch me and--- she accidentally gave me a little piece of her soul. You know that they can do transfers, that they just have to touch someone and they can pass their soul on with it. I don't think she meant to, I think she just doesn't know how to control it yet. But that doesn't matter. What matters," she said, stepping closer to him, "is that I loved it. And I've decided that I want whatever it is that they have."  
  
His mouth dropped open and he struggled to find a response. "That's---It's just crazy! You don't know what you're talking about. You know that they can trick you. You should know, better than anyone, not to trust them."  
  
"Spike, she was just a child! She wasn't trying to trick me. She was just reaching out to me and---and she accidentally gave me a glimpse inside of her too. But whatever happened, I'm glad it happened. There's an emptiness to this life that we have never known was there, but now I know it, and I can't stand it being there anymore." She sighed and dropped her head, but not before he could see the tears spill down her cheeks. "There's something more that we're supposed to be, Spike. There's an existence out there that means so much more than this pointless one we're living. I think you've felt it too, because I've seen it in your eyes when you think I'm not looking. You want more than this too. You need more than this." She looked back up at him, a hint of hope in her eyes. "I think we should both go. I think we should see what it has to offer us."  
  
He laughed harshly. "You think our existence is pointless? I could happy with it just because you're here, but I guess that's not enough for you. You want to walk away from me, fine. Hell, I'll even get a bloody transfer so you won't have to see me every day. But you can't possibly be serious about going to--- to them! That's just---well, it's ridiculous!"  
  
Her eyes hardened. "It's not. You wouldn't think so if you'd felt what I did."  
  
"I would think the same way, I promise! Because I can see the truth. They have nothing to offer you. Whatever she gave you, it couldn't possibly be worth all the negatives! Do you want to get sick? Do you want to die? Would you honestly give up the strength, the senses---the invulnerability for what little bit of her so-called 'soul' that you had a taste of?"  
  
She hesitated for a moment, and he almost smirked, thinking he'd won. But then, she looked at him with resolve on her face and he knew better. "Yes, I would. Spike, I've been alive for---what 120-years now? And in my lifetime, I have seen a lot of things change. I've seen the revolution that gave us power over the rest of the demon world, I've seen the need for animal blood be replaced by synthetic, I've seen the human population swell and fall again, and I even lived through that phase where vampires actually started drinking human blood." She shuddered at the thought, but moved on. "But I have always known that there was something missing. What do we have to look forward to, Spike?"  
  
"What do we---?" he gasped. "What do we have to look forward to? How about our wedding? How about having children? Getting out of this army and traveling for a while? We had dreams, or don't you remember that?"  
  
She sighed. "I remember, Spike. I remember all of that. I just---it's not enough for me anymore. I'm sorry, but it's not. Now that I've felt what that little girl has, nothing is ever going to be good enough for me until I have that."  
  
He was gritting his teeth roughly. "You know, pet, if you want to leave me, just say so. If I'm not enough for you anymore, then tell me."  
  
She let out a growl. "Didn't you even hear me? This isn't about me wanting to leave you. I want you to go with me! I want us to both go and join them. I love you, Spike. I want you to know what I felt. It was wonderful, and I want to share that with you."  
  
He shook his head. "I'm perfectly happy being here, being a vampire. This is what I want. And I don't understand how you could want anything else."  
  
She dropped her eyes from his. "I'm too tired to talk about this anymore right now. Are you saying that you won't come with me?"  
  
Everything inside him told him to say he would go. Everything screamed at him to do whatever she wanted, but he still found himself shaking his head. "No, I won't go with you. I think you've gone crazy. I think you need help."  
  
She nodded slowly. "I'm sorry to hear that."  
  
She opened the door and waited for him to leave. As he passed her, he stopped and reached out to touch her arm. "Pet, please. Just think about this. Maybe go talk to a counselor. Just don't do anything rash. Please?"  
  
She looked up at him with a sadness that he'd never seen in anyone's face before. "It's too late for that. I'm leaving tonight. And if you care anything about me at all, you won't report me. You'll just let me go."  
  
He had gone back to his room and locked himself in for several days. When the higher-ups had realized that she was gone, they had come to question him, and he'd refused to open the door, making the excuse that he thought he may have been infected with something and that he didn't want to expose anyone to it. And he claimed not to know what had happened to Buffy.  
  
He had only found out later that, when she went, she'd taken her mother and sister with her (Dawn hadn't even been of full maturity, yet. She was still aging and now, she would never stop) and that she had planted the seed in Giles' mind about following her. He did, about six months later. Sometime in there, they'd lost Willow too. Spike hadn't known much of the girl, except what Xander had told him.  
  
He'd tried to think of them all as traitors, but he couldn't. He just couldn't.  
  
His intercom buzzed again, brining him back from his thoughts. "What?" he snapped, after slamming down the button.  
  
"Spike, where are you? You said ten minutes and it's been half an hour. Are you coming or what?"  
  
He sighed. "Yeh, Harris. I'm coming. Be there in a second."  
  
He pushed his thoughts away once more and started toward the brig. He almost felt sorry for Giles, especially now that Spike himself was in such a rotten mood. 


	5. Lord, what fools these mortals be

Title: The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for disclaimers, ratings and summary.   
  
Author's Note: The last chapter, I hope, answered some of your questions, and possibly raised a few more. That's all right. All good things come to those who wait, provided they who wait drank prune juice the night before. But I wouldn't recommend the prune juice, because YUCK. Anyway, if you didn't get the answers you wanted, keep reading, as I've tried to place them into the story where they will fit. This is the Giles part you've been waiting for. Enjoy!  
  
Thanks to Spoikespet, who has helped me immensely, and to Shaw_thing for being so supportive and wonderful.  
  
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He met up with Xander in the tunnel leading to the headquarters. "You sure it's him?"  
  
"Oh, it's him. He's aged, but it's obviously him. He asked for you."  
  
"For me?" Spike asked, eyes widened.  
  
"Well to be exact, he asked for the rat bastard that calls himself Spike. The guards that brought him in didn't know who he was talking about."  
  
Spike nodded. To most people around here, he was General William Donovan. Only his closest friends knew him as Spike. "Has he been questioned yet?"  
  
"He won't talk to anyone but you," Xander said, holding the door into the brig open. "He wouldn't even talk to me. He spit in my face though."  
  
Spike had to laugh. "Well, at least he remembered you."  
  
Rupert Giles had certainly aged. His hair had gone gray, and there were wrinkles forming at the corners of his eyes, but he still had the same challenging expression when he saw Spike come in. He glared up at his old friends with a nasty smirk. "Spike," he hissed. "I'd salute you but they thought it necessary to restrain me."  
  
"You wouldn't salute me if there was a gun to your head, you old fart."  
  
Giles grinned. "You're absolutely right."  
  
Spike waved the guards out of the room and pulled a chair up in front of Giles. He straddled it backwards, motioning for Xander to have a seat as well. "So they finally caught you."  
  
"Unfortunately. I was expecting it, though. I knew I was getting too old to run anymore."  
  
Spike leaned forward and looked closely at the man who had once been like a father to him. "Tell me why, Giles. Why in God's name did you do it? You had it great here. You could have been the leader of this whole damn nation had you just held out a little longer. Why give all that up?"  
  
Giles laughed harshly. "You think what I did was in any way a sacrifice? You a bigger fool than I thought. This--- this existence that you have is more dismal than I could have ever known. I knew I didn't like it when I had it, but since I've seen what life can be--- what those humans out there have--- I despise this life and everything that it stands for."  
  
Spike felt the anger growing inside of him. "What in the hell is so great about being a human?" he snapped. "What is so great about being a weak, fallible creature? About having an expiration date? What is so great about them?"  
  
Giles studied him carefully, his gaze unnervingly steady. "You can't even begin to imagine, Spike. You can't know how wonderful it is to be free, to experience what LIFE actually is, until you've been there."  
  
Xander jumped up, knocking his chair over. "It's brainwashing. They told us that you recruit through brainwashing. They warned us about it. There's nothing great about it! You just want us to be as miserable as you are, so you lie!"  
  
Giles smiled slowly. "You don't think I know what they say about us? I came up with the stories about brainwashing, Xander. I wrote the propaganda about how evil humans are. I chaired the meeting in which we decided to eradicate humans in order to keep the vampires on top! Humans are not evil, children," he spat, his voice rising. "They are not out for blood. They want a peaceful existence, and this government, this army, has forced them to fight."  
  
Spike let his head sink onto the back of the chair. When he looked back up, his eyes were red. "They're going to kill you, you know."  
  
"I know," Giles said, not even a touch of sadness in his voice. "I'm not afraid to die."  
  
Spike stared at him, his mouth falling open. Then he barked out a laugh. "That's because you're a fool. You're the biggest fool that ever lived!" He moved to kneel in front of Giles. "You can always make a deal with them. Cooperate and they may not kill you."  
  
Giles scoffed. "And live in one of their camps forever? I would sooner---."  
  
"Die," Spike muttered, cutting him off. "Yeh, I figured as much. What is it with you sorry people and your death wishes? Anything has got to be better than death!"  
  
"Nothing is better than being a human--- a free human--- even for just a day. I wish I could make you understand that. I wish she could have made you understand."  
  
Spike stood quickly, pacing across the cell to stand near the door. "Don't," he snapped, shaking his head. "Don't bring her into this."  
  
"She's already in this, Spike. She's the reason we are where we are at this moment. Because she could convince me, but never you. I took the chance that you were too afraid of."  
  
"I wasn't afraid," Spike growled, whirling to face the older man. "I was never afraid. I know right from wrong, and I'm sorry that the two of you never figured that out."  
  
"You should be sorry that you were too much of a coward to go with her!"  
  
In his anger, Spike didn't even notice the change in his visage, didn't realize that his demon face had slipped forth. He snatched Giles up by his collar and shook him hard. "Don't give me that bullshit! You know why I didn't go. Because unlike you, and unlike her, I know a thing or two about loyalty, and about honor! I know where my obligations lie!"  
  
"You must not, because your obligations should have been with her!" Giles coughed, the air slowly being choked out of him. "She was the only thing that you have ever had that was worth being loyal to."  
  
Spike dropped him back into his chair, a smirk growing on his face. "Why'd you come back, Rupert? Surely it wasn't because you missed me."  
  
"I didn't come back. I was captured."  
  
"The Rupert Giles that I know could have outrun and outwitted any creature alive. You let yourself get caught."  
  
"I'm too old to run anymore. I serve no purpose out there but to eat what little food is available and take up space. What little life I have left needed to be worth something."  
  
"So you let yourself be captured. As what, a martyr?"  
  
"Hardly. I needed to talk to you."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About her."  
  
Spike shook his head. "We aren't talking about her."  
  
"Oh, I beg to differ. We are going to talk about her. She's getting older too, you know. And one of these days, she's going to die. If you let her die out there alone, you're going to regret it forever. And forever is a long time."  
  
Spike gritted his teeth. "She made her decision to leave. She's the one who should regret it, not me."  
  
"And you can't stand it that, not only could she leave you like she did, but that she has never regretted it for a single day. Isn't that what's really bothering you?"  
  
Spike laughed coldly. "She'll regret it when she's laying on her death bed, knowing that she never had to die at all. She'll know then how wrong she was."  
  
Giles leaned toward him, breathing heavily. "Do I look like I regret it, Spike? Because I'm as good as dead right now. Do you see the least bit of a second thought on my face?"  
  
"When your head is under the blade, it'll show."  
  
Giles sighed, finally giving up. "Let's hope, for your piece of mind, that you're right."  
  
Spike turned to leave and Giles spoke his name, so quietly that he wasn't sure if he'd even really heard it. When he turned back to Giles, the human was looking at him imploringly. "Do what's right. You know what's right. If you won't do it for me, do it for her."  
  
Spike swallowed hard and gave a sharp nod before stalking out of the pen.  
  
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Chapter 5 is finished, but I won't give it until I get some reviews. I need the reviews. I crave the reviews. So give 'em to me and I'll give you more story. Mwah-hahaha! Yeah, erm, so R&R! Thanks! 


	6. Who Wants to be a Vampire?

Title: The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Chapter 6 - Who Wants to be a Vampire?  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for Disclaimers, Summary and Rating.  
  
Note: It's getting down to nitty-gritty. The real meat of the story, you know. If you have waded through it this long, hopefully you'll find that it's worth it. Actually, this is a work in progress, so I can always end it any time. *Evil smiles* Want more, keep reviewing. (Yes, I'm shameless. I'm a praise hound. Give it to me!)  
  
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"William! What can I do for you, son?"  
  
Spike stepped into the large office, not bothering to salute. "You can take Giles off the chopping block."  
  
Quentin Travers immediately frowned. "I beg your pardon?"  
  
"You heard me."  
  
Travers sighed. "Sit down, William. Would you like something to drink?"  
  
"This isn't a social call. Tell me that you're going to pardon him."  
  
"I can't do that."  
  
"Yes, you can. You know you can't let them execute him."  
  
"I'm not letting them do anything. Rupert Giles is a subversive. He is a criminal by his own will and he must pay for that."  
  
"He was a respected member of your bloody council for over a century and you can't let him die like this."  
  
"He was a member, was being the operative word. He chose the wrong path and he must pay for it."  
  
"He can be reformed."  
  
Travers smiled, a patronizing look that set Spike's teeth on end. "You know as well as I do, William, that rehabilitation is only for those who ask for it. Giles will never ask for it. He doesn't even want it." He paused and looked toward his monitors, where the outer courtyard could be seen. In the middle of the large, open space, a platform was being prepared for the daily executions. Spike watched with disgust as the men sharpening the guillotine blade laughed and joked with each other. Travers shook his head. "Believe me, William. I hate it that we have to dispose of a man that was once such a great friend to us. It is, I'm afraid, the cross we must bear."  
  
Spike bit back a sharp retort and sighed. "Then postpone it. Let me have some time with him first. If he doesn't want to change after I've talked to him for a while, then you can put him to death. I won't stand in the way."  
  
Travers laughed. "You can't stand in the way, William. You don't have the power." He leaned back and studied the monitor again. "I will, as a favor to you, delay his execution for one week."  
  
"Two weeks."  
  
"Don't push me, son. Two weeks. No more."  
  
Spike stood up and started for the door, still not bothering to salute. "Won't need more."  
  
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The guard unlocked the cell door and held it open. He shut the door behind Spike but made no move to leave. "Something I can do for you, Sergeant?" Spike asked, folding his arms across his chest and glaring at the guard.  
  
"No, sir. I was told to stay and make sure that everything went OK."  
  
"Everything will be fine. I'll yell when I'm done."  
  
"But, sir. If he gets out of hand---."  
  
"If he gets out of hand, I will take care of him. Move along."  
  
The guard nodded. "Yes, sir."  
  
When he was gone, Spike turned back to Giles. "How you doing?"  
  
Giles shrugged, not bothering to sit up. "I'm about to be beheaded. So, yeah, I'm fine."  
  
Spike smirked. "Good to see you still have that rotten sense-of-humor." He moved to sit on the bench across from the bunks. "But I have some good news for you. I talked to Travers. He's agreed to stay your execution for two weeks."  
  
"And that's good news in what way?"  
  
"Because in two weeks, you will have recanted and will be willing to undergo rehabilitation."  
  
Giles snorted. "Not on your life."  
  
"Hear me out," Spike said softly.  
  
"You're wasting your breath. I wouldn't give up being a human for anything in the world. And I will not stay in these camps. All you've done for me is sentenced me to two more weeks in this bloody cell with nothing to do but wait for death."  
  
"If you'll just listen to me---."  
  
"Nothing you can say will change my mind."  
  
Spike slammed his fist down on the bench so hard that the wood cracked. "Shut up and listen to me, you stubborn bastard!" He knelt down next to the bed and leaned forward, lowering his voice to a near whisper. "I have a plan that will be extremely beneficial to your precious humans out there if you will hear me out."  
  
Giles sat up. "What sort of plan?"  
  
"It will require you giving in to the dark side for a while."  
  
Giles looked around, scratching his chin. "Do you suppose there are any insects in this cell?"  
  
Spike's eyebrows lowered in confusion. "Insects?" Then it dawned on him. "Oh, I don't know. I suppose there might be. How about we go for a walk?"  
  
Giles nodded. "Good idea."  
  
As Spike called for the guard, Giles got on his knees and peeked quickly under the bed. Then he looked to Spike and nodded.   
  
"Bugs," he muttered.  
  
When they reached the yard, it was close to midnight. There were people everywhere, and vampire guards, and Spike made it a point to steer Giles as far away from them as possible.  
  
"Sorry about the cuffs," he said as they moved to a private corner. "Thought it would make for less questions." He looked around, then unlocked the shackles and slid them into his pocket.  
  
"Of course. I'm getting rather used to them, now."  
  
"How did you know that they would have the cell bugged?"  
  
Giles smiled. "Because I designed the bugs, and I designed the cells. Stands to reason---."  
  
Spike nodded, pulling his cigarettes out of his pocket. "Especially knowing Travers."  
  
Giles held his out, blushing slightly. "Could I--- have one of those?"  
  
"You want a fag?"  
  
"Please."  
  
Spike shook another one out and handed it over, then held out his lighter. Giles took a long drag off of it and smiled. "I quit a long time ago. Funny how the craving never really goes away."  
  
He sat on one side of a table and motioned for Spike to sit down. Then he dropped the lighter on the ground. As he bent to pick it up, he did a quick search of the bottom of the table.  
  
"Is it clean?"  
  
"Looks to be," Giles said. "So what's this plan of yours?"  
  
"I have to know that you'll go through with it. That you'll be willing to come back into the government for a while."  
  
Giles shrugged, suddenly looking very tired. "If it will help those people, I'll do it."  
  
"Good. Here's what I think we need to do."  
  
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So, you've read it. Now review it. OK, I'm sorry. Review it, please. Better? Chapter 7 will be up in a few days, so keep with the reviewing. Please. Thank you. 


	7. The Best Laid Plans

Title: The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for disclaimers, ratings and summary  
  
Still wanting those summaries. C'mon, read and review. What could it possibly hurt?  
  
Thanks, as always, to Spoikespet and Shaw_thang!  
  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
Spike made it a point to go back to his office that morning before turning in. He shuffled some papers around and called up a few things on his computer, but all he was really doing was buying some time. He couldn't move too fast on this or it would definitely draw attention.  
  
The explosion rocked the compound, throwing him out of his chair. It was immediately followed by the announcement of a code red. The halls filled with soldiers so quickly that by the time Spike stumbled out into the hall, he had to fight his way through the crowd.  
  
"Out of the way!" he yelled, pushing towards the stairwell. "Get back!"  
  
Harris met up with him just as he reached the lower level. "It's in the boiler room. Most of the hallway is caved in."  
  
"Do we know what happened?"  
  
"Not yet."  
  
"Keep everyone out of the area. I don't want anyone getting hurt if the structure is unstable."  
  
Harris grabbed his arm as he started towards the site. "You aren't going down there are you?"  
  
"Someone has to."  
  
"We have people who are trained to do this. Let them do their job."  
  
Spike pushed his hand away and pointed to the stairwell. "Your orders are to keep people off this level. I expect you to follow orders."  
  
Xander looked a bit stunned, but he straightened and saluted. "Yes, sir."  
  
When he'd gone back to his post, Spike continued down the hallway. He stopped when he reached a large pile of rubble. "Hello?" he called, then listened for any signs of life. "Hello?"  
  
He knew there had been people in the hall when the explosion had happened, and he hated that, but sometimes it was necessary to make some sacrifices. He stared into the thick darkness past the cement mess at his feet. He was looking for the best path across it when his radio crackled to life.  
  
"Donovan! Where are you?"  
  
"Lower level, sir. Looks like most of the tunnel is gone."  
  
"Never mind that!" the voice snapped. "Get your ass up here to Commander Travers' office immediately."  
  
"It's going to be a few minutes, sir. This tunnel's completely blocked. I'll have to go around to the other side."  
  
"Fine. Whatever it takes. Just get here."  
  
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Spike stared down at the blood on the desk, shaking his head. "Didn't anybody check this before they gave it to him, for Christ's sake?"  
  
The Lieutenant in front of him looked way past nervous. "It was from his private stock, sir. It was checked when we first brought it in and then taken to his refrigerator. He prepared it himself."  
  
"You idiot!" Spike yelled, getting up in the young man's face. "You don't think someone could have gotten in here and tampered with his stash? Get the security guys up here now! I don't want anybody touching a bloody thing until this area's been searched. Is that clear?"  
  
The lieutenant nodded, seeming glad to get out of Spike's line of fire.  
  
Watkins, Travers' next in command, watched the whole scene with an amused expression. "I think you need to calm down, William. I know that it's been a very hectic and--- disparaging day for you, but we have to keep a level head at times like these."  
  
Spike was still pacing the length of the office. "Of course, sir," he said softly. "I'm sorry. I just--- I can't believe someone killed him. He was--- like a father to me. Bloody pillocks around here just let him have this without checking it first." He sighed, a little more dramatically than was necessary. "I want to know who did this."  
  
"We'll have it thoroughly investigated, I assure you. Quentin Travers was the best leader this camp has ever had. His death will not go unpunished."  
  
Spike stopped pacing. "We need to find out what was in that blood. It was obviously purposely contaminated. If someone got to him, they could have gotten to the troop supply too."  
  
Watkins nodded. "Relax, William. We'll have it checked. Do you think the tapes will show anything?"  
  
"It's possible. Only we don't know when it was done, so it could take weeks to look through them all, and we still may not find anything. No, we need to find out what was in there. I think if we can figure out what was used, we may be able to trace it back to the assassin."  
  
Watkins nodded. "I'll have it sent to the lab. What's the report on that explosion? Bomb?"  
  
Spike shrugged. "Don't know yet. We're going to have to get the roof supported before we can go in and start cleaning up the mess. It could be a while before we actually get to the site."  
  
"Let's get some people in there as soon as possible. I need to know if it was a human attack."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Rupert Giles," Watkins said, and Spike jumped.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"I was just going to ask you if you'd made any progress with our old colleague yet."  
  
Spike bit back a relieved sigh. "Uh, maybe a little. He's a stubborn man, you know, but he listened to me, which is a step."  
  
"That's fine," Watkins said, slapping him on the shoulder. "Keep on him. It would be nice to have him back on our team."  
  
Spike nodded, heading for the door. "We'll get him. I can almost guarantee it."  
  
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So, you've seen part of what's to come...who wants more?? All right, all right. Give me a few days and I'll post the next chapter. Stay tuned... 


	8. When it all hits the fan

Title: The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Chapter 8: When it all hits the fan  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for disclaimers, ratings and summary (if you've come this far, you really don't need a summary anymore, do you?)  
  
A/N: I only have a few more chapters (ones that have been beta-read and corrected) to upload. The rest of it is at the beta-girl's place right now, and I'm waiting to hear back. If I don't get them within the next few days, I'm going to be posting them about twice a week instead of every few days so the delay in between the two parts won't be so long. Hopefully, by the time I post Chapter 10 here, I will have the second half back and ready to go. Cross your fingers. Until then, enjoy Chapter 8!   
  
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The base was a mess that night, soldiers running everywhere, trying to handle one of the two tragedies of the day. For his part, Spike just took updates and stayed out of the middle of it. He couldn't be too close to either investigation; to stick his nose into them too much might raise some eyebrows. Delegate authority, that was his job in these situations.  
  
He walked across the yard to the guard gate, only giving a nod to the men on duty. One of them stopped him as he passed through. "Sir, may I suggest that you take a guard with you?"  
  
Spike shot him a look. "I don't need a bloody guard."  
  
"With what happened to the commander today, sir, it's been requested that---."  
  
"Requested by who?" Spike interrupted.  
  
"Commander-in-charge Watkins. He asked us to make sure that you take a guard with you if you left the base for any reason."  
  
"Me? Specifically me?"  
  
The private shrunk back slightly. "Y-yes, sir. He's concerned for your safety, sir."  
  
"He doesn't need to be. I'll be fine."  
  
The other private stepped out of the guard shack, holding his rifle. "I'm sorry, sir. We have our orders."  
  
Spike sighed. "For Christ's sake, fine. Just stay back and don't get in my way."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
He stalked along the edge of the compound and around the maintenance area, stopping at the chief mechanics office. "General Donovan. Is there something I can do for you, sir?"  
  
"You can cut the sir crap for one thing. I need a jeep, Jonathan."  
  
The young man picked up his clipboard and looked over it. "Did you have a request in for one?"  
  
Spike stepped forward and glared at the smaller man, watching him shrink back in his chair. "I'm requesting one now."  
  
Jonathan swallowed. "I'm sorry, Spike. Until further notice, all vehicles use must be requested and approved of ahead of time."  
  
"On whose orders?" He knew the answer before it came.  
  
"Commander Watkins."  
  
"Bugger," Spike muttered, leaning against the desk. "When did he give you this order?"  
  
"Uh, about two hours ago. Right before he commandeered my computer."  
  
Spike's head shot up and he swallowed hard. "Christ!" he breathed, taking off at a run, ignoring the guard's shouts for him to wait up.  
  
He stopped dead in the doorway to his office, gripping the frame with both hands. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His computer was gone, monitor and all, as well as all the papers that had been on his desk. One glance at his file cabinets told him that they'd cleaned them out too. Stray bits of paper were scattered across the floor, along with a few shards of glass that had been broken out of the picture of Buffy, Dawn and their friend Willow that he kept locked in his desk drawer. He had always been prepared to explain that one away, if necessary, as wanting to hold on to at least one memory of a girl that he had loved, even if she was now a traitor to their army. Surely they would understand that, considering it was well known that he'd loved her so much. Now, he was sure he'd have to explain it eventually.   
  
He checked the other drawers and found them nearly empty too. Fortunately, he had taken Buffy's folder back to his room, and he doubted that they'd checked his quarters. At least, he hoped they hadn't.  
  
He stormed over to the phone and started to dial Watkins' office. Then he stopped. They're taking everybody's, he reminded himself. Best not to make waves.  
  
Instead, he paged Harris to his office, and plopped down in his chair to think.  
  
Harris showed up about 20 minutes later, covered in dust and soot. "What's wrong?"  
  
Spike motioned for Xander to shut the door. "D'they raid your office too?"  
  
Xander nodded. "They got everyone's. Although they were a little neater about my stuff," he said, looking around the office. "They think that Travers' death was an inside job."  
  
"Did they find out what poison was used?"  
  
"Not yet. They're pretty sure that it was a fatal allergic reaction to something."  
  
"Allergic reaction. To blood?"  
  
Xander shook his head. "To something in the blood. Something purposely introduced. They say that they probably could have saved him if anyone would have noticed that he was in trouble. As it was, with the explosion and all, nobody was around to see it."  
  
Spike nodded. "The explosion happened at just about the same time that Travers was dying. Two plus two equals---."  
  
"A set-up," Xander finished. "Someone set that bomb to go off while Travers was dying to keep him from getting help."  
  
"So it was a bomb?"  
  
Xander nodded. "They found the debris today. It was one of ours."  
  
"What about the tapes?"  
  
Xander sat on the edge of Spike's desk, shaking his head. "Funny thing about the tapes. They're gone."  
  
"What?" Spike snapped.  
  
"Gone. The chief of security was called up to Travers' office, and when he went back to the office to get the tapes---."  
  
"Someone had snagged them."  
  
"Yep. No cameras in the security office either, so whoever did this knew what he was doing and cleaned up his mess pretty well. Definitely an inside job."  
  
Spike almost smiled, but held it back. "We'll find him, whoever it was."  
  
"Sure we will," Xander said, giving him a little wink. Then he slid a piece of paper across the desk to Spike. It read: I burned them.  
  
Spike did smile then, pulling out his lighter and setting the note on fire. "Thank you, Colonel. Keep me informed."  
  
"Of course, General. Any time."  
  
As Xander left the office, Spike gave the camera a friendly little smile and stood up. Everything was going really well so far. Now, of course, came the hard part.  
  
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So, there you go. Chapter 8. Your turn. Hit the review button and tell me the truth. I'll get chapter 9 up according to how soon I hear from my beta-girl! Thanks! 


	9. For the Love of Mike

The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Chapter 9: For the love of Mike  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for summary, rating and disclaimer  
  
A/N: Some people have been asking me what the chapter titles are supposed to mean. To be honest, nothing. They mean absolutely nothing. Don't try to look for too much meaning in them, because it's really not there. It's just my strange sense of humor. Hope everyone likes Chapter 9. If anyone is still reading it, and I'm not sure they are, it's going to get much more interesting in a while. In fact, you're probably going to hate me. MWahaha! Keep reading if you want to know why!  
  
Without further ado, Chapter 9...  
  
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He took Giles out for another one of their "walks", this time walking him across the yard and over to the cafeteria. It was pretty crowded at that hour, but, being leader of the base, Spike had no trouble commandeering a private table for them. "How are they treating you?" he asked, as Giles took a long drink of his tea.  
  
"Well, you know it's a bloody Hilton around here. Twenty-four hour room service, clean sheets, maid service..." He grinned at Spike. "How's everything with you?"  
  
"Running smoothly. Shall I tell Watkins that you're up for rehab now?"  
  
Giles sighed, the smile fading from his face. "I guess it has to be now, doesn't it. It can't wait any longer."  
  
"I'm sorry. It's the way it has to be."  
  
Giles glanced around, then began speaking in a fluent Cantonese. "How long until they find the evidence?"  
  
Spike smiled, remembering the code that they'd always used when they were younger. It was rare to find anyone else who knew the language, especially since Giles was one of the few who'd ever been to China and had only learned it from the Chinese themselves, so they could speak freely without being overheard. "Two days, if everything goes well. The records are already in Watkins' office, he just doesn't know it yet. When the investigation on everyone else turns up nothing, I'll have to suggest that they check his files too, just in case. It'll break my heart to do it, of course, but leave no stone unturned and all that rot."  
  
"Won't they find it a bit obvious though? Watkins isn't a stupid man."  
  
"No, he isn't. But he also won't expect anyone to be looking at him. And who would ever suspect him anyway? He's Travers right hand man."  
  
"It's risky. They may not find him guilty of it."  
  
"True. We'll need some luck to get it pushed through. Cross your fingers."  
  
"And with him out of the way, you'll be next-in-command."  
  
"By default, yeh."  
  
"It's a gamble, Spike. If they don't like the way you're doing the job, you know what could happen."  
  
"Yeh, hello to the big pile of dust. I know."  
  
"Maybe you should reconsider."  
  
Spike laughed. "No need. I've thought it over for a while now, and it all comes down to the same thing. Either I do it, or your people fade off the planet without a second thought. Is that what you want?"  
  
"We're not children, Spike. We can handle ourselves. Have for a couple hundred years now."  
  
"That was before the virus, Giles. It was before the food supply was cut, and the security was stepped up. You're in a bad way now, you can't deny that."  
  
Giles sighed. "It won't be easy, I'll give you that. But you're risking your life here for something that may not work, and may not even be necessary. We could still rebound in numbers."  
  
"Not with that virus out there. Buffy told me herself that four people from her camp alone bought it last week from starvation and sickness."  
  
Giles looked at him uncertainly. "When did you talk to Buffy?"  
  
"She was here the other day. I gave her some food to take back with her."  
  
"She came here? Just to ask for food?"  
  
"Well, to trade for food. She offered me the gem of Amara for a month's worth of supplies."  
  
Giles almost choked. "The gem? She offered you the gem?"  
  
"Yeh. I didn't take it, though. I told her she might need it for a bigger trade later on sometime." His eyes narrowed when he noticed the shocked look on Giles' face. "What's the matter?"  
  
Giles shook his head slowly, muttering something under his breath. "I--- I didn't realize. Things must be very bad for her to give that up for food. But you fed them?"  
  
"Yeh, they have enough food to last them a while anyway. By the time they need food again, our plan should be well under way."  
  
Giles nodded. "Right. The plan." He nodded again, looking only slightly more relieved. "The plan. So when do I start the program?"  
  
"Tonight." Spike sighed. "I am sorry that you have to do this, Giles. I hate it for you."  
  
"Don't. If everything goes well, it will be worth it."  
  
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Spike was sitting in his office, cursing at his computer. They had just returned it, and he about half-wished they hadn't. "Damn irritating piece of plastic," he snapped. "I should throw you into the bloody compactor." As if in response, the computer beeped at him. "Shut up," he snapped at it, finally giving up and shoving the keyboard away.  
  
The shrill ring of the phone interrupted his tirade, and he snatched it up. "What?"  
  
"We need to talk. Now."  
  
He didn't need to ask who it was. He recognized her voice. "Where?"  
  
"Picnic. You remember the place."  
  
It wasn't a question, because there was no way he could have forgotten where she was talking about. "Ten minutes."  
  
"Five," she said, and hung up.  
  
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There 'tis. I have only one chapter left that is ready for uploading, so here's hoping that I hear from the beta-reader soon! Until then, R&R and I'll update in a few days... 


	10. Coming To Terms

Title: The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Chapter 10: Coming to Terms  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for rating, disclaimers and summary  
  
Thanks to everyone who has read this far, and to those who have reviewed. It's always nice to know that someone is still interested!  
  
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He was already there when she arrived. "Thought you said five minutes," he teased, but she didn't smile. Instead, she drew her fist back and punched him in the jaw.  
  
"You bastard!" she screamed as he reeled backwards. "I can't believe you've turned into such an ass since I left!"  
  
He caught his balance and turned back to her, holding his jaw. "What in the bloody hell did I do?"  
  
"You couldn't wait to get your claws into Giles, could you? You son of a bitch!" The last word was punctuated by another swing, which he managed to catch.  
  
"Whoa, there. Just hang on a minute!" She continued to struggle and he spun her around and grabbed hold of her from behind, pulling her back against him. He held her arms across her chest so she couldn't hit him again, carefully propping his chin on her shoulder to avoid any head-buts. He also made sure to put his feet where she couldn't step on them. He remembered well enough the way that she fought.  
  
"Stop it!" he snapped, when he had her pretty well restrained. "Stop it and listen to me!"  
  
She struggled for another minute or two, then reluctantly gave in. "I can't believe you would do this to him. He was your friend!"  
  
"He still is. And he's going to stay that way. I've got something going right now that's going to ensure your safety, and his, for a long time to come. All you bloody humans are going to benefit from it."  
  
She turned her head to look up at him. "What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"You heard about the explosion?"  
  
She nodded. "They came to question us about it. We didn't do it, though. You know that, right?"  
  
He smiled. "I know. I did it."  
  
"What?" she gasped.  
  
"I did it. I set off the explosion. And I killed Quentin Travers."  
  
"Wh---Why?"  
  
"Because I needed him out of the way. After I get Watkins taken care of, I'll be commander of the troops. I can put a stop to all the crap they've been pulling on you."  
  
She shook her head. "You're trying to get control of the vamp army."  
  
"Right. That's where Giles comes in. He was always one of the most powerful vamps in our army. And he will be again, once we rehabilitate him."  
  
"You can't! You can't turn him back."  
  
"Have to, Buff. If we don't, he's going to be executed. Besides, once he's joined our side again, he can start working his way back to the top. It may take him some time, but he'll eventually get to be a trusted member of the council again. And in the mean time, I can make sure that any attacks, viral or otherwise, are called off."  
  
"What if they overthrow you? Most vampires don't like humans. They aren't going to be happy to see you give us a standing pardon."  
  
"I know. It's going to take a while to convince them otherwise, but it can be done. Until then, I'll just have to enforce a 'tolerance' rule. We've had one before. They'll go along with it for a while."  
  
"Does Giles know?"  
  
"Yes." He let go of her and she turned to face him.  
  
"Is he--- all right with it?"  
  
"He understands. And he's willing to make the sacrifice to see it happen."  
  
"Are you?"  
  
"Am I what?" he asked, eyebrows drawn.  
  
"Willing to make the sacrifice?"  
  
"There's no sacrifice in it for me."  
  
She shook her head, sadly. "That's not true. If anyone finds out what you're doing, you'll be killed."  
  
"Then I'll make sure they don't find out."  
  
"And if they don't like your ideas, at the very least, you'll be banned."  
  
He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Not much of a sacrifice, pet, when my conscience is nagging at me."  
  
She laughed softly. "Conscience. Forgot you had one of those." He looked hurt and she gave him a soft punch in the arm. "I'm kidding. So, why are you doing this?"  
  
"Giles asked me to."  
  
It was her turn to frown. "That's it, just because Giles asked you to?"  
  
He looked at his feet, shrugging. "No, because he asked me to do it for you."  
  
"For me?"  
  
He nodded. "He knew I would do anything for you. Still."  
  
She blushed. "I---didn't know."  
  
He looked up at her, grimacing. "You should have. Just because--- you chose to get away from here, doesn't mean I wanted you to go."  
  
"I wanted you to come with me." She sighed, shaking her head. "I begged you, Spike. I tried everything I could think of, and you wouldn't come. What was I supposed to think?"  
  
"I didn't stay because I didn't want to be with you. I stayed because I was a coward. And a fool. I should have gone with you."  
  
"You still can. Get Giles and come out tonight."  
  
"I can't, pet. I can do more good for you now if I stay around here and go through with what I planned. If this works maybe we can eventually tear down the barrier all together."  
  
She let out a scream a moment before the gun hit him. He sprawled onto the sand, unconscious, and she stared in shock as she saw Angel standing there for the first time.  
  
He gave her a wide grin. "Thanks, baby. You did it just like we needed you to."  
  
He leaned down and, slinging his rifle strap across his shoulder, hauled Spike to his feet. "What the hell are you doing? Are you crazy?" Buffy yelled, throwing herself at him.  
  
He easily pushed her away and flopped Spike's still form over his other shoulder. "Relax, Buffy. We knew you'd eventually draw him out for us. So we waited. Now we have a better bargaining chip than that ring." He gave her a thumbs up. "Thanks again, sweet cheeks."  
  
She couldn't fight him. She knew better than to even try. Instead, she watched helplessly as he carried Spike off across the shoreline. Then, she collapsed on the sand and dropped her head onto her knees.  
  
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This one was kind of short, but the next few chapters should make up for it. I will not be posting again until late next week, hopefully 10/16 or 10/17. If it hasn't been updated by then, it will have to wait until the 20th. So, here's hoping I get some more up before then. Read and Review so I have plenty to look forward to when I get back from vacation!!! 


	11. This Side of Death

The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
written by Rylee Jane  
  
Chapter 11: This Side of Death  
  
See chapter 1 for rating, disclaimers and summary  
  
A/N: I'm back! And I've got more story! YAY! And because it's been so long, and ya'll have been so patient, I'll give you TWO chapters now! Don't ya just love me?? Anyway, thanks SO much to spoikespet, who is the bst beta-reader in the Buffy-verse! Thanks, pet! So, without further ado....Chapter 11.  
  
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Spike knew he was awake, only because the pounding in his head was making him wish that he wasn't. He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut against the light he could see coming through his eye lids. Obviously, since he wasn't actually on fire, it wasn't sunlight.  
  
He waited until the pain subsided a little to force one eye open. "Morning, sunshine," a voice said from somewhere near him. "Sleep well?"  
  
He turned in the direction and spit, praying he hit the bloody ponce in the face.  
  
"Now, now. Let's play nice, little man. After all, I could have just killed you out there by the lake. Or tied you up and let the sun take you."  
  
"Bugger off, you soddin' git," Spike cursed, although his voice was too raspy to make it sound as tough as he wanted it to.  
  
Angel came over and knelt in front of him. "I can always cut your tongue out. Haven't done that to anyone in a long time. I do so enjoy causing you vampires pain."  
  
Spike pushed himself to a sitting position and gritted his teeth at the pain. "Not nearly as much as I going to enjoy punching you in your nancy-boy face."  
  
"Be kinda' hard to do with your hands tied, now won't it?" Angel laughed. "I have to admit, I never thought I would get such joy out of having you at my mercy. But I absolutely love it. Think I'll drag it out for a while. Before I kill you."  
  
Spike gave the ropes binding his wrists an experimental tug. "You only hurt the ones you love," he sneered, raising his eyebrows at his long-departed friend.  
  
Angel pushed himself to his feet and laughed. "Well you proved that, didn't you? Had Buffy all to yourself and you let her walk away. You never were very bright, were you?"  
  
Spike felt his heart sink at the mention of Buffy. "Yeh, meant to congratulate you on that. You must really have her wrapped to get her to betray her meal ticket like that."  
  
"Betray?" Angel asked, his mouth set in a frown. "Oh. Oh!" He grinned broadly. "Well, Spikey, what can I tell you? You hurt her, she got you back. You were the fool for trusting her. And to feed her and her friends on top of that. God, I'll bet that stings, don't it? Well, let me add some salt to that wound," he said, leaning even closer to Spike's face. "I'm the one that changed your baby into a human. Did you know that?"  
  
Spike knew that Angel had seen the shock on his face before he could cover it, and that made everything even worse. He had been there that night---the night that she'd been put through the ritual. Of course, he'd stayed out of their line of sight, hiding up in the rocks that rose up on either side of the lake gorge. He'd sat there, trying to fight off tears as they had led her into the clearing and told her to kneel in front of a man in a black robe (who was apparently Angel). Angel had spoken, in some language that Spike didn't understand, then reached his hand out and laid it on top of her head. For a few seconds, everything was silent. Then, there was a scream. It was the most awful thing that Spike had ever heard, and it was coming from his Buffy. He started to move, to go to her, but the screaming slowly died off, and he forced himself to stand still and watch. After a few minutes, she sat up, and he could hear Angel asking her if she was all right. Even from up there, he could hear her response. She laughed. "I've never felt better."  
  
He had been surprised that there had been no more to it than that. No lights, no sounds, no fanfare. Just a touch on the head and that was it. That was how quickly his girl had been sentenced to, in his mind at least, death.  
  
"You--- you were the one that did it."  
  
He hadn't realized that he'd even spoke until Angel laughed. "I was. Which makes me her---well, I guess I could say it makes me her sire. Must be why she loves me--- and hates you."  
  
Spike scowled at him, but refused to answer. Angel gave him a pat on the shoulder. "I'll be sure to give her your regards when I get back to our room tonight."  
  
He smacked Spike hard across the face and laughed as he stalked out of the room. 


	12. Headaches of the Unlife

The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
written by Rylee Jane  
  
Chapter 12: The Headaches of Unlife  
  
Part two of the the two chapters I promised! Hope you like!  
  
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He didn't know how much time had passed, but he had been thirsty for days and he was starting to hallucinate. He was sure that, by now, his camp would have not only discovered that he was missing, but probably decided that he'd been lost for good and stopped looking for him. He had been tugging on his ropes as much as he could when he was conscious, but he knew that Angel would come in and check them everytime he passed out. Spike was sure that the bastard had changed them on him when he started getting them worn down.  
  
At least, he thought tiredly, Angel hadn't started in on the actual torture yet. He would eventually, because he liked it too much not to. Spike had seen it before, and he shuddered to think of being on the receiving end of it. He was tough, of course, because all vampires were. They were all strong enough to take a hundred times more torture than a human could. They still weren't totally unbreakable though. Vampires felt pain just like any other creature on the planet.  
  
He shifted his weight slightly, moving his hands along the wall behind him until he felt the rough stone he'd been using to cut at his ropes. He started the process all over again, rubbing his wrists across it, trying to get the ropes to wear thin. Of course, it also required running his wrists over the sharp edge, and he'd long ago cut them wide open on it. And that, of course, made his job harder, because the ropes quickly got soaked with blood and became harder to cut. Not to mention it just flat out hurt, and the more blood he lost, the weaker he got. Still, it was better than just sitting there waiting for Angel to come in and pick on him some more.  
  
He bit his lip and continued his sawing, trying to focus on something other than the pain. He could always think about Buffy. Thinking of her pissed him off so bad that the pain nearly disappeared altogether. The bitch had let him help her and then double-crossed him. And now, she was undoubtedly sitting in her room with Angel, laughing at him. To hell with her, then. To hell with all humans. It wasn't too late to go back to his camp and make sure that they all paid for what she'd done. He could unleash a virus on them that would take out the entire population in a matter of days. And he would dance on their bones.  
  
The thought made him laugh. He devised a hundred plans of just how to kill them, how to make them suffer, how to celebrate when he'd finished it all.  
  
Then, he sunk back into unconsciousness.  
  
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The light was back. He could tell before he opened his eyes. He didn't need the light to see, so they hadn't turned it on for him. Must mean a human was in the room with him. He sniffed slightly, and the smell confirmed what he'd suspected. There was a human somewhere near by. Very close, in fact. Another sniff. Only this one wasn't him. Someone else was sniffing. Sobbing.  
  
He opened his eyes slowly and scanned the room. There she sat, in the far corner, huddled and crying.  
  
"Hello, bitch," he snarled.  
  
She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Oh, god. You're awake. I didn't think you were ever going to wake up again. Are you OK?"  
  
He let out a harsh laugh. "What the hell do you care how I am? You conniving, traitorous tramp."  
  
She frowned at him through her tears. "What? What's wrong with you?"  
  
"What's wrong with me?" he snapped, sitting up further. "What's wrong with you? I risk getting my ass busted to get you food and you turn me over to your boyfriend and his damn radical freak friends? I knew humans were cold but I didn't know you could be."  
  
She straightened her shoulders, pulling her arms up so that he could see the chains that held her to the wall. "Does this look like I'm in it with Angel? Huh?! I didn't turn you over to anyone! And thanks so much for giving me the benefit of the doubt! Self-righteous jerk!"  
  
He stared at her, then grinned. "He set you up, didn't he? Told you to get me there and then turned on you too?"  
  
She sighed, slumping back against the wall. "Earth to Spike! I didn't set you up. I had no idea that Angel was even looking for you. I came to talk to you about Giles and he followed me. He hit you and knocked you out, and I, being the total idiot that I am, decided to try to rescue you. That's why I'm chained up here with you, you--- dolt!"  
  
He shook his head. "Why would you try to rescue you me?"  
  
She groaned, letting her head fall back against the wall. "God, are you that stupid? I mean, honestly. Cause if you are, then I hope they just kill me now! I came to rescue you, because I love you, dumbass!"  
  
He started to respond, then stopped, his mouth still open. He wondered if she could see his eyes tear up from all the way over there. "You--- love me."  
  
"DUH!"  
  
"Still?"  
  
She sighed. "Always, Spike. I never stopped loving you. How could I? Why would I, for that matter?"  
  
"Because I left you," he said softly. "I let you down."  
  
"You didn't let me down. And you didn't leave me. You did what you had to do. I can't blame you for that."  
  
"Giles was right. I should have went with you, just because you asked me to. My future was with you."  
  
She looked at him, eyes wide. "Giles talked to you about me?"  
  
"Of course he did. 'S why he let himself be caught. So he could tell me what a jerk I was."  
  
"You're kidding, right? That wasn't the only reason?"  
  
"That's the only reason he gave me. Who knows with him."  
  
The door opened and they both jumped slightly. "Well, hello there kids!" Angel grinned. "How are you two getting along? Playing nice, I hope."  
  
"Wanker," Spike muttered.  
  
"Prick," Buffy added.  
  
"Good to hear," Angel laughed. "I hope you're enjoying the company, Spike. I seriously thought about letting you keep thinking that she'd stabbed you in the back. Then I realized that it would be so much more fun to let you two make up and get all friendly again---," he walked over to a table in the far corner and picked up a knife and rubbed it over his palm, "and then let you watch while I torture her."  
  
Spike jerked against his ropes again, hoping to pull them loose. "Don't touch her!"  
  
"Oh, now, Spike. She's a human. What do you care what happens to one lousy human? Especially one lousy human that broke your poor, little heart?" He stalked toward Buffy, wielding the knife, spinning it around his finger. Then he stopped and turned to Spike. "Unless you want to go first."  
  
Spike growled deep in his throat, but nodded. "Yeh, me first. You kept me waiting this long, you may as well start with me."  
  
Angel laughed, walking toward him slowly. "God, I was hoping you'd say that! This is going to be so much fun." He knelt in front of Spike and pressed the knife blade to his throat. "I only hope you'll enjoy it as much as I will."  
  
"NO!" Buffy screamed, but Angel ignored her.  
  
"What to do first?" he wondered aloud, pulling the knife so a thin stream of blood appeared on Spike's neck. "See, I usually start with the little things, you know like breaking fingers, cutting off toes, maybe hot dripping grease to the groin. But all of that is just too weak. Vampires handle it a lot better than people do. I've already starved you, and--- I gotta' say---the skeleton look works for you. Maybe I'll just go for the gusto and see how long it takes to break you. Sound good?"  
  
Spike caught Buffy's eyes over Angel's shoulder and held them for a second. Then suddenly, pain exploded through his stomach and he looked down at the knife handle sticking out of his side.  
  
He gritted his teeth and sucked in a little air. Angel pulled the knife out, which hurt more than when he was pushing it in. Then, he jabbed it back in again and gave it a twist.  
  
This time, Spike cried out. "Bloody hell," he screamed, nausea sweeping over him.  
  
"Did that hurt? Cause I've always wondered what that feels like. Bet it stings like a bitch, huh?"  
  
Spike bit back a smart ass comment, really not wanting to piss him off. Angel could be quite inventive about causing pain, and Spike really wasn't up for the full-force torture.  
  
Angel took the knife across Spike's stomach, applying only a little pressure. The blade was sharp enough to cause a hair-line cut on the skin, and it stung like a paper cut. A really bad paper cut.  
  
"You know, I've always wondered about something else too. Why is it that you have scars on you? Vampires don't scar."  
  
Spike sucked in another breath as the knife drug across his skin again, just below his breastbone. "Don't know, mate. Why don't you let me go do some research on that and I'll get back to you."  
  
Angel laughed. "Nah, that's OK. It was just---." Another slice, right across the chest. "Curiosity."  
  
Spike felt the tears well in his eyes. "Planning to bleed me dry, are you?"  
  
Angel considered this a minute, the sneer never disappearing from his face. "I don't know just yet. You know, they say the best artists are the ones who just start painting and see what happens. I like to think that's my method too. I've still got plenty of time to decide what I want to make of you. You'll live a long time with just little cuts like this."  
  
Buffy had been sitting silently, her head turned away so she wouldn't have to see what was happening, sobbing softly against her own shoulder. Now, she turned her head to look at Spike. "Stop," she said, so softly that Spike could barely hear it, even with his sensitive ears. Angel didn't hear it at all.  
  
Instead, he was examining his knife carefully. "Maybe this isn't the right tool. I thought I could at least get some tears out of you with this." He stood and walked over to the table again. "Can't use fire. Dried up as you are, you'll go up like a match and that won't be much fun." He sorted through his weapons, mumbling about something.  
  
Spike took the opportunity to catch Buffy's gaze. "Don't," he mouthed, begging her with his expression to not draw Angel's attention.  
  
She gave him a look that told him she wasn't just going to sit there and take this. Spike sighed and let his head slump back against the wall, then sat back up as a sharp stone poked him in the back. Out of habit more than hope, he kept his eyes on Angel and started to run the ropes across it again. He felt the ropes give slightly and let it show on his face, trying to give Buffy some hope.  
  
When Angel turned back to him, he stopped moving, watching his foe with a wary eye. "So what's it to be, mate?"  
  
Angel held up a metal gadget with several skewers coming out of the tip. "I was thinking we'd see what happens if I make you into a sieve."  
  
He started towards Spike with the device, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
They all heard the word, as it was shouted in the hallway just outside the door. "Sbriciolare!"  
  
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So, there you have it. More to come. Read and Review, let me know what you really think! 


	13. Second Chances and Catch 22's

The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Chapter 13: Second Chances and Catch 22s  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for summary, disclaimers and rating.   
  
A/N: I have done a bit of overlap at the beginning here. It's not an oversight, I did it on purpose. Don't ask me why, I'm sure it made sense when I did it. Enjoy yourselves! (The words that Willow uses are Italian, and they are traslated as basically, Crumble, capture and release.  
  
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When Angel turned back to him, he stopped moving, watching his foe with a wary eye. "So what's it to be, mate?"  
  
Angel held up a metal gadget with several skewers coming out of the tip. "I was thinking we'd see what happens if I make you into a sieve."  
  
He started towards Spike with the device, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
They all heard the word, as it was shouted in the hallway just outside the door. "Sbriciolare!"  
  
The wall at Spike's back blew out, causing him to fall backward into the yard. He rolled quickly onto his side and shielded his face from the falling rocks. Luckily, most of them had been forced directly outward and none fell on him. He opened his eyes and stared up at the starry black sky overhead. "What the---?"  
  
Another shouted word interrupted his question. "Cattura!"  
  
Spike glanced up just in time to see a blue light fly off of Willow's fingers. It wrapped around Angel, knocking him to the ground.  
  
"Will! Get me out of these things!" Buffy yelled to her friend.  
  
"Oh, right," Willow muttered, then bit her lip. "Cessione."  
  
Buffy stood, pulling the loose shackles from her arms. "Thanks." She dashed past Angel, who was still writhing on the floor. She knelt next to Spike and ran a hand over his cheek. "You OK?"  
  
"Will be. Get me out of here."  
  
She helped him to his feet and together they stumbled after Willow and across a field.  
  
"How long will that hold him?" Buffy asked as they ran toward the sound of the river.  
  
Willow shrugged, fighting to keep up. "Couple hours, maybe. Long enough, I would think."  
  
They stopped when they hit the river bank, and the girls slumped onto a rock to rest.   
  
"Thanks, Red," Spike said, giving her a sincere wink.  
  
She smiled back. "No problem. When they told me at camp that Buffy was missing, I did a locator spell and it led me straight to you. Didn't take me long to find out what was going on."  
  
"Nice work with the spells, Will. Been practicing?"  
  
The redhead nodded, pushing her hair back from her face. "It's why I took the trip to London. The cult that Giles referred me to was really something. They helped me out a lot."  
  
Spike let the two gossip, figuring out that they hadn't seen each other in a while. He walked down the bank a little way, trying to get his bearings. He figured the base had to be west from where they were, because the river was more narrow here, and west of the base, it was almost a mile wide in places. This had to be somewhere after the main river branched off into three smaller ones. Which branch they were standing on, though, he couldn't be sure. "Pet?" he called back over his shoulder.  
  
Buffy stood and walked over to him. "What?"  
  
"Any idea where we are?"  
  
She looked around, then shrugged. "Not exactly. We can't be too far from our camp though. Angel's compound wasn't that far a walk from home. Of course," she said, looking around again. "It may have been on the other side of the compound from here."  
  
Spike nodded, glancing at the sky. "What time is it, Red?"  
  
She glanced at her watch. "A little before 5."  
  
"The sun'll be up in less than an hour. Can we get back to your camp by then?"  
  
Buffy shook her head. "I don't know. I'm not sure exactly how far it is from here. Maybe we can find shelter somewhere else, stay there until it gets dark again?"  
  
Spike bit his lip. "No, you all should go on back. I'll hole up somewhere and start walking again tonight."  
  
"Not a chance," Buffy said, propping her hands on her hips. "You're hurt. I'm not going anywhere until I know you can get help."  
  
He started to argue, then gave it up. "Fine. Either way, we'd better get going. Don't fancy testing the sun today."  
  
They headed west, hoping to find at least a tent to hide out in. There were remains of camps all along the river, ones that had long ago been deserted or cleaned out. Buffy thought that surely there were one or two left with some form of shelter.  
  
It was nearing daybreak when they found an old rundown building that looked to have been home to a vampire family before the army took over the land. There were still beds and chairs inside, and the three slumped down to rest.  
  
Spike nursed his wounds, tearing up old sheets to use as bandages. Buffy forced herself up from the couch to walk over and kneel in front of him. "Let me help," she said softly, taking one of the makeshift wraps from him.  
  
He let her, jumping as her hand brushed a little patch of undamaged skin on his side. "Sorry," he muttered, looking anywhere but at her.  
  
"Did I tickle you?" she teased, gently wiping some dirt out of one of the cuts.  
  
"Funny," he scoffed, shaking his head. "If I weren't so damned hungry, I would probably laugh."  
  
She finished wrapping his torso and sat back on her heels, sighing. "I don't think there's anything that we can do about that."  
  
He nodded. "I know. 'S all right. I'll be OK for a while longer."  
  
Willow was wondering around the home, looking at the furniture and trinkets that the family had left behind. "Why would they just leave all this behind? I mean, it looks like they didn't take anything with them."  
  
Spike sat up slightly, stretching. "Probably ran out of time," he said softly.  
  
"What do you mean?" Willow asked, folding her arms across her chest.  
  
"I mean, they were probably told they had a month to get out and refused. When the army came through the next time, they had to leave with just what they had on them. "Wasn't unusual for the army to kick people out of their homes without any notice at all. Just come in, tell them to leave and burn the home behind them. I've seen it happen." There was a touch of bitterness in his voice, and Willow decided to leave the subject alone.  
  
They fell into an uncomfortable silence, each finding a comfortable spot in the living room to rest. It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky that Buffy realized she was getting hungry too.  
  
"Will, I don't suppose you have anyway to conjure some food for us?"  
  
Willow shook her head. "Not unless you want me to summon a deer or something to kill and eat. That's about the best I can do."  
  
Buffy shuddered at the thought. "No thanks. How're you doing, Spike?"  
  
He was still slumped in the easy chair, head tilted back, staring at the ceiling. "Fine," he said, his voice rough.  
  
"How much longer can you go without blood?"  
  
He shrugged, though it was barely noticeable. "I'll probably be fine for a few more days."  
  
She remembered well enough the need for blood. It was worse than any thirst she'd ever felt as a human; an all-consuming burning that started in your throat and slowly seeped through your body until you ached all over. She'd never been to the stage that Spike was at, though, and she was glad of that.  
  
During her army training, they had done survival exercises in which they had been sent out for a few days with no blood, and that had been bad enough. Spike had been starved for weeks, and bled on top of that. He was so thin that she thought his bones were going to break through his skin. "We have to find you some blood," she said, more to herself than to him.  
  
He shook his head. "You aren't going to find any around here, pet. The only things around here are demon camps and the base. And if I could get to the base, I would be there by now."  
  
"What about towns?" Willow asked.  
  
"Closest one's about 20 miles. May as well wait until sundown and head back to the base."  
  
"What about our blood?" Buffy asked, her voice breaking slightly.  
  
Spike's head jerked up to look at her. "What?" he snapped.  
  
"I mean it. We have blood. You need blood. It's pretty simple once you think about it."  
  
He glared at her for a minute before letting his head drop back again. It was then that Buffy realized he couldn't hold it up anymore. "That's not going to happen."  
  
She walked over and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him to a sitting position. "It is going to happen. You're so weak you couldn't stand if you had to. You're never going to make it back to the base that way. You need blood."  
  
"I'm fine," he argued, but his voice was tired.  
  
She let go of him and he slumped back against the chair. "Fine. You think you're doing OK? Stand up."  
  
He looked up at her, then sighed. "Really, Buffy---."  
  
"I mean it. Stand up."  
  
He grimaced but dropped his arms to the chair and tried to push himself up. He barely got his butt off the seat when his arms gave and he dropped back down. He moved like he was going to try again, but quickly gave up.  
  
Buffy tried to hide a smug smile. She turned to Willow. "Do you want to help him too? If not, it's OK."  
  
Willow looked slightly sickened. "I---yeah. I can."  
  
"No!" Spike snapped, his voice rough from the exertion. "I'm not doing it!"  
  
Buffy snatched him up again and dragged him to the couch. "You are doing it, because I'm not carrying your butt all the way back." She dropped him on the dusty cushions and sat down next to him, pulling her hair over her shoulder. "Take as much as you can from me without hurting me. If you need more, you can take from Willow."  
  
He turned his head away like a stubborn child. "I can't."  
  
"Stop arguing. You don't have a choice." She touched his cheek, rather gently in contrast to her stern words. "Come on. Let's do this before I lose my nerve."  
  
She leaned over him and she could tell that he was fighting the need as much as he could. Finally, she felt his breath stop as his face shifted and his teeth brushed her neck. She fought back a shiver and held as still as she could. His hand slipped around the back of her neck, pulling her toward him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Willow turn away. Buffy couldn't really blame her. It seemed a lifetime ago that the two of them had been in this kind of spot.  
  
Spike's lips brushed her skin just over the vein in her throat. Her breath quickened as she remembered times that they'd been here before, in the heat of the moment, wrapped in the bed sheets and each other's arms, and nothing else. Then came the sting of the bite, followed almost immediately by the warm feeling of feeding. She couldn't help but moan as she felt the heat building in her stomach. The room melted away into a thick darkness, and she could only feel his hand on her back and his lips on her neck. It was pure ecstasy, and terribly cold when he let go and pushed her back slightly.  
  
"That's enough," he muttered, sighing. "That'll last me until we get back."  
  
She felt her cheeks grow red when she realized how badly she'd wanted him to keep going. Sometimes, sharing blood had been better than sex and she had forgotten just how good it could feel. She fixed her shirt collar, glancing around the room. "Where's Willow?"  
  
He raised his head just slightly to look around. "Dunno. Maybe she thought we needed some privacy."  
  
She gave him a playful slap, but allowed him to pull her down beside him. She curled into his body, in awe of the fact that she seemed to still fit so perfectly against him. She'd always thought that they'd been made for each other, body and soul. Now, she had to push that thought away. He was still a vampire and she was still a human, and the two really couldn't mix. Not socially, not physically, not even emotionally.  
  
But for now, she could hold him, press her body to his, pretend that everything was still all right.  
  
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OK, so review now. Please. To all of you who have reviewed, Thank You! I really appreciate it! I hope you know that. I intend to read your stories too (some of them I have already read) and I will get to it very soon! I swear! Please forgive me for not getting it done by now. I promise, I will get to them soon! Thanks to you all again! 


	14. Going Back

The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Chapter 14: Going Back   
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for disclaimers, rating and summary.  
  
A/N: This chapter is rather short, but there's not much I can do about that. :) The next one should be longer. Hope you like!  
  
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The noise woke her so quickly that she was sitting up before she even got her eyes open. The first thing she saw was a man in fatigues reaching for her. He grabbed her arm and hauled her off the couch, pushing her face down onto the floor. "Don't move!" he barked, pressing what could only be a rifle barrel to her head. "I will shoot you!"  
  
Then she heard Spike, his voice confused, then angry. "What the hell? What are you doing?"  
  
"We're glad you're OK, sir. I knew there were humans here, but I didn't expect to find you."  
  
"Bloody hell!" he snapped again, and Buffy felt the rifle barrel being pushed away from her. "Stop that! Let her go!" An arm grabbed her around the waist and she was pulled to her feet. "You OK?"  
  
She looked up into his face, and nodded, unable to find her voice yet. Her hands were shaking, and she reached up to brush her hair out of her face.  
  
"Sir, we were--- under the impression that she was one of the humans that had captured you."  
  
"No, you stupid git! She saved my life. Her and the red head." He motioned to Willow, who was being held by her arms up against a wall. "Angel was holding me and they broke me out. Let her go!"  
  
The guard who had been holding Willow released her arms and she frowned at him before moving slowly toward Buffy. "I'm--- sorry, sir," the other soldier stammered. "I--- didn't know. Are you OK, sir?"  
  
"I'm fine. D'you bring a truck here?" Spike asked, starting for the door. He had taken hold of Buffy's hand and was leading her along with him.  
  
"Y-yes, sir. Several trucks, sir."  
  
Spike held his hand out. "Gimme' the keys."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The keys, Sergeant. Give me the keys."  
  
He waited until the man dug them out, then snatched them. "Finish your patrol. We're going back to the base."  
  
He didn't wait for an answer, pulling Buffy toward one of the trucks, waiting for Willow to follow them. "Of course, sir. Would you--- like an escort back?"  
  
"No," Spike snapped, holding the door open for the girls. "Radio back to the base and tell them I'm on my way. Get the senior staff together."  
  
The other vampire nodded, digging his radio out of his pocket as Spike climbed in and slammed the door.  
  
"You're taking us back to the base?" Willow asked nervously. "I---Maybe you could just take us back to camp first."  
  
"Sorry, Red," he mumbled, grinding the gears as he took off down the road. "I have to get someone on Angel's ass as soon as possible."  
  
Buffy reached her arm across Willow to grab onto the door handle, trying to keep from getting thrown to the floor on the bumpy road. "I should have checked out his compound better on the way in. I don't know how many guards he has or where they're set up or anything."  
  
Spike shrugged. "Don't make a difference, pet. We can send out a scout squad if necessary, but I don't think that it's going to be that hard to take him down. I'm just worried about Giles."  
  
Willow turned her head in shock. "What about Giles?"  
  
"My guys have him and he was due to be executed. I held 'em off a while on it, trying to get Giles to agree to rehab. He was going to do it, but before I had a chance to tell them that, Angel got hold of me. I just hope they let him live."  
  
Willow gasped, shaking her head. "He---he would never have agreed to rehab. He wouldn't have gone back to being a vampire. What did you do to him?"  
  
Spike started to argue, but Buffy put her hand on his arm. "Spike's trying to get a peace agreement for us, Will. He had a plan to get into command and then order a truce. It was all going fine until Angel stepped in."  
  
"What does that have to do with Giles?"  
  
Buffy looked to Spike to answer, not having fully understood Giles' role in the plan. Spike whipped the truck around a tight corner and got it back up to speed before answering. "He's one of the best political minds we've ever had. He knows how to work people. He could tell me how to work around the concerns and convince everyone that this was a good idea."  
  
"Maybe he---maybe they didn't---," Willow started, but she couldn't finish the thought.  
  
"Yeh," Spike muttered, understanding. "Let's hope."  
  
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Buffy recognized the guard at the outpost immediately. He was the one that had commented about her "disguise". "General Donovan! Welcome back sir!"  
  
Spike gave the man a quick nod and pointed to the gate. "Get that thing open now! I'm in a hurry."  
  
The guard faltered slightly. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm on orders to route you directly to testing."  
  
"What?" Spike snapped. "I have to get in there! Open that goddamned gate!"  
  
The guard squared his shoulders slightly. "I'm sorry, sir. I have my orders."  
  
"Orders from who?" Spike jumped out of the truck and got into the man's face.  
  
"Acting Commander Giles, sir. He told me to make sure that you go immediately to testing and be detained until he releases you personally."  
  
"G---Giles? Rupert Giles?"  
  
"Yes, sir. If you'll please come with me, sir."  
  
Spike turned back to the truck to see Buffy and Willow being dragged out at gun point. "Hey! They're with me! Let go of them!"  
  
"We have orders for them too, sir. Now, please, come with me or I'll be forced to place restraints on you."  
  
Spike watched as two more guards manhandled Buffy and Willow into a jeep. "Where are you taking them?"  
  
"To Commander Giles, sir. Now, please, follow me."  
  
Spike thought about fighting, but shook the thought off. Surely Giles was just carrying out their plan, being covert about it. Undoubtedly, he was trying to follow protocol to keep attention off of them.  
  
He followed the guard to a jeep, climbing into the back and settling back into the seat. "Any way someone could get me a steaming cup of blood while I'm waiting? I'm parched."  
  
The guard sitting next to him gave him an odd look. "Uh, yes, sir. We'll see to that."  
  
They pulled up to the infirmary and the two guards led Spike into the small building. "This way, please," one of the men said, motioning to the isolation unit.  
  
Spike felt a cold chill crawl up his spine. "In there?"  
  
"Yes, sir. Commander Giles has asked that you be kept in isolation until you've been checked for the virus and such."  
  
Spike stood up straighter, turning to face the men. "I don't have the bloody virus. I want to see Giles right now! Go get him!"  
  
"Sir, if you'll just calm down. It's just precautionary. Please, step inside. Commander Giles will be here to see you in just a moment."  
  
"Hell if I will. You're not going to lock me up in there. Get him down here, now! And get the two girls in here too. I don't trust you with them!"  
  
"Sir, please," one of the guards was reaching for the stun-gun he carried on his belt. "If you'll just calm down, I'm sure we can get all of this settled very quickly."  
  
Spike pulled back and punched the guard in the face, trying to catch them both by surprise. Unfortunately, it wasn't fast enough and the other man drew his stun-gun and thrust it against Spike's neck. He let out a howl and dropped to the ground, his body twitching.  
  
"Get him up and get him in the cell. I want his hands and feet cuffed. No one goes in or out until Commander Giles reports." The first guard was shouting orders, his hand over his nose. Spike saw the man's face appear above him. "General Donovan," he said with a smirk. "You are under arrest for treason. You are to be held until such time as your trial for this offense. May the council have mercy on you."  
  
Spike tried to fight off the hands that were grabbing at him, but he couldn't move. He felt the hard concrete under him as they dragged him into the cell, and rolled him over to cuff his hands and feet. Then, they left him.  
  
With several volts of electricity still running through his body, he shut his eyes and let the himself fall into unconsciousness.  
  
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Thanks for reading. Chapter 15 should be up in the next few days, once Halloween is over! Happy Halloween ALL! Have a good one! 


	15. The Cross They Bear

The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Chapter 15: The Cross they Bear  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for disclaimers, rating and summary  
  
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Willow clutched onto Buffy's hand as they sat in the back of the jeep. "Where are you taking us?" she ventured to ask the guards.  
  
"To Commander Giles."  
  
Willow gave a relieved sigh, but Buffy felt a deep gnawing in the pit of her stomach. "Why?"  
  
"I'm just following orders, ma'am."  
  
"Where did you take Spike?"  
  
The guard beside her turned to look at her. "Beg your pardon. Who?"  
  
"Spike. The man that came in with us. What were they doing to him?"  
  
"General Donovan, ma'am? He's been detained. I'm afraid I can't tell you anymore than that."  
  
They pulled up in front of headquarters, and climbed out. "This way, please."  
  
Buffy had been in the main offices more times than she could count. It shocked her when they took her straight up to the office that had, last she knew, been occupied by Commander-in-Chief Travers. When they opened the door, however, it was Giles who was sitting behind the large desk.  
  
"Buffy!" he said, grinning as he saw them. "My dear, how are you?"  
  
"Giles, what's going on?"  
  
He motioned for the guards to leave them, coming around the desk to perch on the front of it. "Sit, please. Make yourselves comfortable."  
  
Buffy stood her ground. "I want to know what's going on! What did you do with Spike?"  
  
Giles laughed, his eyes flashing slightly. "Oh, dear God, this is so much fun! I never knew just how fun it would be." He motioned again to some chairs and Buffy reluctantly sat. "You see, my dear, your boy Spike has just done the most awful thing. He betrayed his army. He killed Mr. Travers and had Mr. Watkins put to death for it. All so he could take control of this army. Oh, but he confessed to me, thinking that I was going to help him. And I, being the good patriot, had to turn him over to the council."  
  
Buffy gasped. "How could you?"  
  
"I had to, dear. You see, I came to a startling realization a while back. I'm going to die. Or I was, anyway. Sure, it was nice being a human for a while, but I was going to end up dead." He shook his head, sighing. "Dreadful thing, death. Pointless, really. I realized that if I would just turn myself in, I could be rehabilitated and I wouldn't have to go through that. I was afraid, of course, because I knew it meant being a peasant for a long, long time when I was let back into society, but it was better than death.  
  
"And then Spike came to see me. I had hoped he would offer rehab rather than just executing me, but I couldn't just go and take it right away, or he might have suspected something. Funny thing about Spike. I always thought he was a tough, tough man. But he's not. He's a sap. He truly believed that I wanted help for you bloody bunch of suckers that we call humans. Stupid lot, all of you. Once I was a vampire again, what would I need with you all? So, I let him tell me what he had planned. Only it worked better for me than he could have ever imagined." He laughed, shaking his head. "Once I knew what he was doing, what he'd done, I simply had to go to the council, tell them what I knew and pledge that I would stop this at all costs. I was immediately restored to my prior status, only better. Because now that all those who had outranked me were gone, I was in the position to be Commander. And now that I am, I can carry out the sentence on you two, and on Spike, and make sure that you human wastes-of-space are removed completely."  
  
"You bastard!" Buffy screamed, her shock giving way to anger. "You lying bastard! You stabbed us in the back!"  
  
He smiled somewhat sadly. "All in the name of progress, dear. I'm afraid some sacrifices must be made for the sake of vampire-kind. It's going to be difficult, seeing Spike put to death. He was like a son to me. But, I'm afraid it's necessary. He can't possibly be saved after what he's done." He glanced at his watch. "In fact, I'm on my way now to deal with him. Such a shame that I'll have to be the one to drop the ax on him, but I'm afraid that's the way it must be."  
  
Willow was still staring at him in shock. "How could you--- you planned to do this to him?"  
  
Giles laughed. "Oh, no. I can't take credit for that. I came to him hoping that he could use his pull with the higher ups to get me into a fairly decent job. Keep me from having to be a grunt for the next century or so. He came up with the idea of 'helping the humans' on his own. Funny thing, all I had to do when I noticed how unhappy he seemed was to mention you. When he heard your name, he just fell right off the edge."  
  
"What were you trying to get him to do by talking about me?" Buffy asked, her voice soft. "Why bring me into this?"  
  
Giles hesitated, then shook his head. "It's not important."  
  
"Of course it is. You've got a minute. Tell me why."  
  
He smiled slowly, his eyes growing cold. "Because, at the time, I cared. I'll admit it. I knew I was leaving you, and I wanted to talk him into going with you. Stubborn bastard that he is, he wouldn't save himself. And when I realized that, I knew what I would have to do. If he wouldn't go to you, and he couldn't stay here, then I had to let him shoot himself in the foot. It's a tough lesson he had to learn, but I'm sure he'll have learned it when they take him out to put him to death."  
  
"Don't do this, Giles. Don't do it. You don't have to let them kill him."  
  
"Oh, but I do. I can't save him now. He's turned his back on us. He has to be punished." He walked over and pushed a button on the intercom. "Please send the guards in to get these girls."  
  
"Giles, please," Buffy said, tears welling in her eyes. "Please don't do it."  
  
He didn't answer. He was pulling the jacket of his uniform on, fastening the buttons. He didn't even turn to face them until the guards had come in and handcuffed them. "Make sure that they're treated well. No need to torture them when they have so little time left."  
  
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There's that one. Sorry, I know it's a little short. The next part is at the beta-readers now, so I should have it up fairly soon. Until then, there's one more finished part coming in a few days. Review and let me know that you're still reading. Thanks! 


	16. The Awakening

Title: The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Chapter 15: The Awakening  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for rating, disclaimers and summary  
  
A/N: I know it's been forever, and I hope that ya'll will still be reading this through the finish. I have had some computer problems that we are still trying to sort out, but I think I should be able to update more quickly now. Couldn't possibly go any slower, now could it? Anyway, sorry for the long delay and I hope that you'll like the rest of the story as much as I think you will. So, without further delay....  
  
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Spike woke up in the same cell, his face still pressed to the concrete floor. He rolled over, trying to ignore the pain that shot through his body as he did. No sooner than he opened his eyes, he heard someone talking to him.  
  
"Well, so nice of you to join us. I thought perhaps they'd killed you. Imagine my surprise to find out that you were still a vampire. I was certain that you'd be human by now." A chuckle cut through the cell. "You could have knocked me over with a feather when I kicked you and you moaned. Should have known better I suppose. No pulse doesn't just mean dead human, does it?"  
  
Spike lifted his head slightly, but couldn't hold it up. In a wave of dizziness, he let it fall back again, thumping hard on the floor. "Oww, bugger all," he muttered.  
  
"Well, if you promise to be good, I'll let them bring a chair in for you. Or maybe we could just prop you up against the wall there."  
  
He blinked, trying to stretch his neck. "You turned on me, didn't you?"  
  
Giles laughed. "Oh, come now, William. You know full well that I had to do it. I can't have you or anyone else trying to save those whiny humans. They'll be better off dead anyway. We're doing them a favor."  
  
"Them? You used to be one of them. Tend to switch sides awful easily, don't you?"  
  
Giles stood and walked over to him, standing over his legs. "Really, let's do get you sitting up. It's hurting my neck trying to talk to you like that." He grabbed Spike under the arms and dragged him across the floor to the wall, where he let go. Spike, still somewhat weak from the shock, fell back hard, his head knocking against the wall.  
  
He groaned, rolling his eyes. "That bloody hurt, you ponce."  
  
"Oh, buck up, you pansy," Giles laughed, giving Spike a moderate kick to the side as he walked away. "You have become such a baby since I've been gone." He settled back into his chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "Now, Spike. What I came here for is to inform you that you have been formally charged with treason, murder, aiding and abetting known fugitives and criminal conspiracy, among other things. You have the right to a trial, if you so choose. If you choose to confess, you will be executed immediately for your crimes. In this case, your execution will be swift and painless. If you choose a trial and are found guilty, your execution will not be, in any way, painless or swift. Do you understand what I have told you?"  
  
Spike let his head roll towards Giles, a sneer on his lips. "You are an arrogant bastard, aren't you? Last time I saw you, I was saving you from your own execution. And now, you march in here and have the nerve to give me that holier-than-thou glower while you tell me about mine."  
  
"Do you understand what I have told you?"  
  
"Do they know the truth? D'you tell them that you were part of this whole thing?"  
  
"Is this a confession that you did indeed have a plan to overthrow this army?"  
  
Spike laughed, a short harsh laugh that burned his throat. "Does that matter? I'm sure you have a written and signed copy of my 'confession' already in your office. I'm sure that you're just waiting for the right time to pull it out and say 'Chop his bloody head off, boys.' Am I right?"  
  
Giles looked a little amused. "Do you understand the charges, General Donovan?"  
  
"What'd you do to Buffy? D'you have her killed already, or are you pretending to give her a fair chance?"  
  
"Do you understand the charges, General Donovan?"  
  
"Is she dead or not? Did you explain to her just why you found it necessary to put both of us to death instead of just me? Why you thought you needed to betray both of us?"  
  
"Do you understand the charges, General?"  
  
"Answer me!" Spike screamed, causing Giles to jump slightly. "Did you at least tell her why you stabbed her in the back?"  
  
Giles sighed. "I told her why she was being held, and what the charges were against her. She knows what she did wrong."  
  
"Does she know what you did wrong? Do you know what you did? Did you look her in the eye and tell her that you're a slimy, rotten bastard who turned her in to save your own ass?"  
  
Giles stood quickly, glowering down at Spike. "I did what I had to do! I was wrong to ever turn my back on this army. I was wrong to think that becoming human was worth being a lousy traitor! I repented and was allowed to come back. Now, do you want me to ask her if she would do the same, because when she says no, it's all over for her! She will be put to death that same day. Is that what you want?" He stalked over to Spike, leaning right down in his face. "And you. I can't give you that choice. The crimes that you've committed against your own kind are beyond forgiveness."  
  
Spike's voice was a low growl when he answered. "I did what I did for you. And for her. Whatever they did to you when they changed you back must have taken away any kindness you ever had in you, because surely you know that I did all of this--- for you."  
  
"I never asked you to," Giles said, a slow grin spreading across his face. "I never once asked you to save humanity. When you came into my cell, I asked you to join her. That was all. I wanted you to have one last moment of happiness, because even then I knew that I was going to work my way back into the upper levels of this army and when I did, I was going to wipe out every last one of those sniveling, disease-infested humans. And I knew that you were going to have to go with them. You set yourself up, William. You put this all on yourself." He knelt across Spike's legs, shaking his head. "When I came to you, I wanted you to go find her and be happy with her for what little time that you had left. I didn't realize you were so far gone that you would give up your life for her. And the sad thing about it is, you won't even get to see her again until your head goes down on that block."  
  
Spike wished more than anything that he could get his hands on Giles' throat. "I trusted you. That's what kills me. I trusted you. You prick!"  
  
Giles nodded. "I know, dear boy. But you must understand, you opened up the only opportunity I had to get back where I belonged. I would have been a fool not to take it."  
  
"I thought you loved being human."  
  
Giles smiled slightly. "I did. God, I really did. But, you know what they say, can't have your cake---. I didn't want to die. So, I had to come back. And imagine my surprise to realize that this really is the better life." He reached out and patted Spike's cheek hard. "Damn shame though, to know that you're caught up in the whole thing. You really are lucky though. I could very easily have you turned now, and then put a stay on your execution. You could be down there with the rest of the captives, seeing what pain really is. But, because I am still fond of you, I'm going to save you the hurt. I'm just going to let you die."  
  
"You're a coward."  
  
Giles laughed, rising to his feet. "Oh, I won't argue with that point. You always were the brave one. But I'm the one who's going to live to see tomorrow."  
  
He turned and walked to the cell door. "Guard!"  
  
As the door opened, he turned back to look at Spike. "Terribly sorry," he said softly. "Damn shame."  
  
The guard stepped inside, and Giles addressed him. "Tell Colonel Harris to prepare the execution decree for tomorrow night. The prisoner is to be handled as dangerous, no one enters or exits without my permission. On second thought, if Harris wishes to visit, he may do so." He glanced over at Spike, a slow smile crawling over his face. "And bring Buffy Summers in here with him." He winked at Spike. "Don't say I never did you any favors."  
  
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So, there it is. The long awaited return of "The Wrong Side". Hope it was worth the wait. I could still use a beta-reader if anyone is interested. E-mail me if you think you would be. Thanks again for your patience. The next chapter should be up within the week. 


	17. The End of the Line

The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Chapter 17: The End of the Line  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for rating, summary and disclaimers  
  
A/N: I know I said a week and it's been a month +, but I've been having some trouble bringing the story to an end. I think I finally have it done, though, so let's see how it turns out. Thanks again to Shaw_thang and to quiet_chaos, for her help and support. I'm finally getting it up there! So, here goes:  
  
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Buffy paced in her cell, watching the guards outside with a careful eye. Obviously, someone had failed to tell them that Willow was a witch. They weren't paying attention to the girls in the least.  
  
"I think I've got it," Willow whispered, drawing Buffy's attention back for a minute. "It's--- a little lop-sided, but I think it will work."  
  
"Are you sure you can do it without the candles and stuff?" Buffy whispered back.  
  
"Not completely. But I think I can at least summon some help, under the circumstances. Make sure the coast is clear." She sat with her legs crossed in the middle of a crude circle that had been scratched into the floor with a nail file. It was little more than metal shavings that had been raked off the end of the file, but they didn't exactly have anything else to use.  
  
"It's all clear," Buffy said, keeping her eyes on the guards.  
  
From behind her, she heard Willow start to whisper. "I call upon the goddess, master of all that is. I ask for power, that I may escape my captors. I bow before you, humble as I am, and ask for help. Hear me, Goddess, and come to my aid. I call upon the goddess, master of all that is. I ask for power, that I may break the bonds around me. I bow before you, humble as I am, and ask for help. Hear me Goddess, and come to my aid. I call upon the---."  
  
She was suddenly cut off as the door to the cell block slammed open. "Get the girl; the blonde one. She's being moved."  
  
A guard came toward the cell, his keys already out. Willow jumped to her feet, gasping. "No, wait! Where are you taking her?"  
  
The guard didn't answer as he stepped inside and grabbed Buffy's arm. "Let go of me!" Buffy snapped, trying to pull away, but only succeeding in causing pain to shoot through her shoulder. "Stop it! Let me go!"  
  
The man threw her to the floor and pulled her arms behind her back, fastening the cuffs on her. Without a word, he pulled her to her feet and out of the cell, slamming the door behind them.  
  
"Buffy! No! Buffy!" she heard Willow cry, and then the heavy metal door to the cell block was slammed shut.  
  
She tried a few times to pull away from the guard, earning her a swift punch to her jaw. "Where are you taking me?"  
  
"To be with your traitor boy friend. Courtesy of Commander Giles."  
  
"With--- Spike? You're taking me to Spike?"  
  
"General Donovan. You're being allowed to spend his last day with him. You should be thankful that Commander Giles is a kind man."  
  
He pulled open another heavy metal door and pushed her through it. She tripped, falling onto her face on the hard concrete.  
  
"Hey, be easy with her, you stupid ponce!"  
  
She looked up and locked eyes with Spike, who was sitting against the far wall. The guard unlocked her handcuffs and hurried out of the cell, slamming the door. Slowly she pushed herself to a sitting position. "Are you OK?" he asked, his voice rough.  
  
"Uh, yeah. I think so. What's going on?"  
  
He shrugged, wincing. "Looks like we've hit the end of the line, thanks to our old pal Giles."  
  
She stood and limped toward him, her knee burning. "Yeah, I talked to Giles. He said---he said,  
  
"That they're going to--- execute you."  
  
Spike nodded, breaking her gaze. "Tonight. Soon as the sun goes down."  
  
Buffy felt the tears coming again. "I---We can't let him do that. We--- have to talk to him."  
  
He laughed. "Yeh, let's talk to him. Seems to have worked well so far."  
  
"Spike, we need to do something. We can't just let them---." She broke off, gasping. "The gem."  
  
He swung his head toward her, eyes wide. "What?"  
  
"The gem of Amara. Maybe I could trade him the gem for your life."  
  
"No!" Spike said firmly. "No, you won't. That thing is dangerous, even more so if it got into the Council's hands." He shook his head. "Don't even think about it."  
  
She sighed. "We have to do something. Anything. I can't---I can't just let this happen."  
  
He looked up at her, shaking his head again. "Don't get yourself all worked up, pet. There's bugger all that we can do about it now."  
  
"He just came in here and told you they were---executing you tomorrow?"  
  
"Well, that was the long and short of it. Gave me the option of a trial, but said that if I was found guilty at trial, the death would be much worse. I knew the speech. I've given the speech."  
  
"Ask for a trial."  
  
He stared at her. "What?"  
  
"Ask for a trial. It will at least buy you some time."  
  
"Pet, it's not going to help. They're still going to find me guilty, and I have to be honest here, I'm not a huge fan of torture."  
  
She nodded. "I know, but we have to have more time. There's got to be something that we can do. I just need more time to think of it." She knelt down beside him. "There's got to be something."  
  
"Well, what about Red? Doesn't she have some mojo in her that could get us out of here?"  
  
Buffy sighed. "She's working on it." She leaned against the wall next to him, sighing. "We just need more time."  
  
The cell door slid open, causing both of them to jump. "He doesn't have more time," Xander said, stepping inside. "Giles has ordered his execution for tonight."  
  
Buffy looked at her old friend, her eyes cold. "He wants a trial."  
  
Xander shook his head. "He's not getting one. Giles said that he confessed."  
  
"He's lying," Buffy snapped. "You know that he's lying."  
  
"I know he's lying," Xander agreed. "But what do you think I can do about it?" He glanced at Spike, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, buddy, but there's nothing I can do. If I try to go against  
  
him---."  
  
"He'll put you on the block right beside me," Spike sighed. "No, don't say anything. Just stay out of it."  
  
Buffy shook her head. "There has to be something that we can do."  
  
Spike gave her a weak smile. "I think we should just accept it, kitten. Unless Red can get some mystical help, I'm going to be dust by sunrise tomorrow."  
  
Buffy's eyes widened. "Sunrise. Mystical sunrise."  
  
Xander looked between the two prisoners sitting on the floor. "Buff, are you OK?"  
  
"I'm fine," she grinned. "I have an idea, but you have to help us. Please?"  
  
Xander watched her carefully for a minute. "I really can't tell you no, but I'm sure you know that." He looked toward the door, then back at her, nodding slowly. "Yeah, all right."  
  
"Wait a minute," Spike said softly. "Check around for bugs. They like to listen in on us."  
  
Xander and Buffy searched the walls and the chair that constituted the only furniture in the room. There wasn't really anywhere to hide a listening device, but Spike didn't think they could be too careful. When they'd found it to be clean, as well as checked their clothes, they huddled on the floor in the middle of the cell. "Here's what I was thinking," Buffy started.  
  
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Ta-da! Yeah, it's short, but I have the next chapter all lined up, and it should be (I won't swear to anything, though) up really soon. Here's hoping. Thanks for sticking with me! 


	18. Sunset

Title: The Wrong Side of the Line  
  
Chapter 18: Sunset  
  
Author: Rylee Jane  
  
See Chapter 1 for rating, disclaimers and summary  
  
_____________________________________________________________________________________  
  
Nightfall came all too soon for Buffy. She thought that they'd gotten everything figured out and arranged, but it was so risky. If even one thing went wrong---.  
  
Spike was asleep, his head cradled in her lap. It had weakened him more than she'd expected, but it couldn't be helped. If he could just summon the strength to stand and walk, and if the guards didn't handle him enough to notice the difference, this had a good chance of working. Still, there were a lot of ifs, and that made her nervous.   
  
She could see the guards moving around outside the cell, laughing and talking, and she knew just from the increase of activity that the time was getting closer. She'd seen executions before. She knew how much excitement they brought to the base. As a vampire, it hadn't bothered her too much, but now that she was human, the thought of anyone dying made her sick. She'd seen too much of it, which seemed to make things worse, rather than better.  
  
She shook Spike gently. "Spike, come on." When he didn't respond, she shook him again. "You have to wake up now."  
  
He stirred, moaning. Then, suddenly, he jerked up out of her lap with a shriek. "What---Where am I?"  
  
His eyes searched wildly around him, and she stayed quiet, remembering the shock and disorientation that he would now be feeling. Finally, his eyes fell on her. "You OK?" she asked softly.  
  
"I---I guess so." He glanced at the cell door and she saw his eyes widen. "What time is it?"  
  
She had to swallow a lump in her throat. "It's almost time, I would guess."  
  
He nodded nervously. "Everything ready?"  
  
She shrugged. "I hope so. Wish I could say definitely, but I'd be lying."  
  
He swallowed. "I know. W-Whatever happens, you did your best. I hope you remember that."  
  
She gave him a weak smile. "It's going to be fine. I just have to keep telling myself that, and so do you. It's all going to be fine."  
  
The door slid open and two guards came in. One grabbed Spike's shirt and hauled him to his feet. The other took hold of Buffy and turned her so he could put handcuffs on her.  
  
"Time's up," the first grinned as he shoved Spike toward the door. "Hope you two enjoyed your day together."  
  
Buffy gave a small sigh of relief as she noticed that the man only touched Spike's handcuffs and not his hands. They were led out of the cell block and into the yard, where Willow was already standing. She gave Buffy a look that said she was ready and Buffy felt even a little more relief.  
  
Giles came over from his spot by the podium, a grin plastered on his face. "Well, here we are, eh?" He motioned to Spike with his head. "Take him to the platform. We'll get on with it in a minute."  
  
Spike jerked out of the guards grasp and squared his shoulders. "I can bloody well walk, you stupid git." He looked at Giles, and then spit at his feet. "So long, Rupert."  
  
Giles laughed. "Goodbye, Spike. 'S been nice knowing you."  
  
Spike's step never faltered as he walked over to the platform and up the stairs, and without hesitation, he knelt down to put his head on the block. Buffy threw a cautious glance at Willow, who gave a brief nod.  
  
Giles turned back to Buffy. "I'm going to give you and Willow a choice. We'll put you through rehab, and allow you to return to the populace with no consequences."  
  
Buffy gave a harsh laugh. "Keep dreaming."  
  
"Well, we'll see what you have to say when you see Spike's head come off." He walked up to the platform and stood with his hands behind his back. "William Donovan, you have been formally charged with treason, murder, aiding and abetting known fugitives and criminal conspiracy all of which are punishable by death. By pleading guilty to these crimes, you have foregone a trial and are to be executed immediately. Have you any last words before we carry out the sentence?"  
  
The executioner had already fastened his head to the block, and he moved just slightly to meet eyes with Buffy. "Yeh, Rupert, I do."  
  
He glanced at Willow, who was busily chanting away and wondered how much longer she would need to take care of things.   
  
She was still chanting, but he could see her chest moving in heaves, and knew that something was working on her.  
  
He glanced around as much as he could, looking for the council members that would surely be here to see him put to death. They were standing to his left, lined up behind a long table, each with a solemn look on their faces. He couldn't resist grinning at them. "You're all a sodding bunch of fools. I hope you know that. Ole' Rupert here is playing you like a violin, and you're letting him. He was all with me on killing Travers, and Watkins too for that matter. He set this up so he could get back in your good graces, but don't think that he won't put you right up here too, first chance he gets."  
  
Giles laughed, walking around to stand in Spike's line of sight. "Do you honestly want to waste your last breath trying to convince them that I'm the traitor here? Say your good-byes, William. Get it over with."  
  
Spike knew he had to buy a few more minutes. He didn't know how long it would take Willow to get the spell going, and he certainly didn't want his head rolling on the platform before she was ready. "I thought I had the right to say anything I pleased, Giles. I get to have my last word."  
  
Giles sighed, folding his hands behind his back. "Yes, well, get on with it then. Drawing it out isn't helping anyone."  
  
Spike glanced at Willow again, who caught his eye, and she nodded. "You're absolutely right. It's not." He looked to Buffy, who was biting her lip. "Love you, pet."  
  
"Love you too," she said, although he couldn't actually hear her speak.  
  
Willow's voice split the air. "Accendere!"  
  
Spike had just enough time to shut his eyes and turn his head before a small glowing ball appeared in her hand. She tossed it into the air and yelled "Far Brillare!" The ball grew and brightened until the light flooded the area.  
  
Spike could hear the screams as vampires all around him started to burn under the false sunlight. The smell was terrible, like spoiled meat burning on a grill, and he fought back a gag.  
  
He could feel the warmth of the light against his closed eyelids, and he lost himself in it for a moment. He'd never felt anything like it. He wanted to open his eyes, to catch his first glimpse of the sunlight, but he knew better. He'd spent all his life in the dark, and he knew that his eyes wouldn't be able to handle that much light all at once. Buffy had warned him that his eyes would be sensitive to it for quite a while, and he didn't particularly want to blind himself permanently on his first day as a human.  
  
The air had become thick with smoke and ash, and hot with fire, and he realized that his lungs were burning with each breath. It was getting harder and harder to take in any air at all. He tried harder, sucking in as much oxygen as he could, but he immediately choked. Panic swelled in his chest and he tried to push it back down. "No time to lose your head, mate," he muttered, fighting to calm his breathing.  
  
"Boy, you aren't kidding. Not after everything we went through to keep your head attached."  
  
He smiled at the voice. "What took you so long, pet? I was getting nervous."  
  
Buffy worked at the restraints that held him to the chopping block. "You should have known I would get you as soon as I could."  
  
He grinned. "Never been good at the shoulda's pet."  
  
She pulled the last buckle loose and pulled him to his feet. "Come on, impatient, let's get you out of here."  
  
He still didn't open his eyes, trusting her not to let him run into anything. "Is it over?" he asked, noticing for the first time that the courtyard was nearly silent.  
  
She hesitated, and he felt his nerves start humming again. Finally, she said, "Sort of. Most of it, anyway."  
  
"What do you mean most?"  
  
He heard Willow's voice, coming from somewhere to his left. "Release." His cuffs loosened automatically and fell off. Spike reminded himself to ask her how she did that.  
  
"You OK, Will?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I---I think so. It worked, so---yeah, I'm good. It worked, right?"  
  
Buffy laughed. "Look around, Will. I'd say it worked."  
  
Willow took in the scene carefully. "I've been working on the ball of sunshine spell forever and never could get it right. Guess I just had to be half-scared out of my mind, huh?"  
  
Spike followed Buffy to the left, his hand on her arm. He thought she was taking him through the gate toward the motor pool, but he couldn't be sure. "Whatever you did, you did it right, Red."  
  
"How long will it last?" Buffy asked, watching the ground for obstacles so Spike wouldn't trip.  
  
"Uh, half an hour? Maybe a little longer," Willow answered uncertainly.  
  
"That gives us just about enough time to get back to camp." Buffy peeked into the large garage, scouting for any vamps that might have escaped the light. When she was sure it was safe, she went in. "Where do they keep the keys, Spike?"  
  
"Wall cabinet, right behind the main desk. Get the ones for the big transport trucks. Bottom, right corner."  
  
She snatched a set, then reconsidered and took them all. The remains of this army squadron would be coming after them, as soon as they could rally the forces. Better if they didn't have the vehicles to speed their mission. She knew it was only a brief stall, but anything that bought her camp a few minutes was worth it.  
  
"Got 'em. Let's move."  
  
The light was starting to dim just as they reached the camp. Buffy parked the truck and sighed, stretching. "You can open your eyes now, Spike," she chuckled.  
  
He pushed them open, blinking against the remains of artificial daylight. "We made it."  
  
She smiled. "Was there ever a doubt?"  
  
Her mother was stepping out of their tent, and she smiled when she saw her daughter. Buffy climbed out of the truck and jogged over to her. "Buffy," Joyce muttered, shaking her head. "Thank God you're okay. You are okay, aren't you?"  
  
She stepped into her mother's embrace. "I'm fine, Mom. It all worked, just like we had hoped. Did Xander make it?"  
  
Joyce nodded, stepping back and motioning to a second transport truck, nearly hidden behind a bank of trees. "I thought he was joking when he told me what you were up to. But you did it, didn't you?" She peeked over Buffy's shoulder toward the truck. "Is Spike OK? And Willow?"  
  
"They're fine. We're all fine, I promise. No worse for wear. But we need to start packing. The rest of the army will be after us as soon as they get word."  
  
Joyce sighed. "I know. We'll be ready to pull out within the hour. Xander has been going over the maps, planning out a route."  
  
"Good. I didn't think about that part. Nice to know he did. Have you changed him yet?"  
  
Joyce shook her head. "We're waiting to see what we run into. We'll have to travel by night for a while, but if we get caught, he's going to hope that they'll think he's just transporting prisoners. It's worth a try, don't you think?"  
  
Buffy laughed. "Definitely." She scanned the horizon, her eyes shadowed by both night fall and worry. "We're heading east."  
  
"The winters are tough out there."  
  
She turned and glanced back at the truck, where Spike was already loading supplies onto the back. "Maybe, but I think we're tougher. Either way, we can't stay here."  
  
"True," her mother conceded. "What, uh--- what happened to Giles?"  
  
Buffy sighed. "I don't know for sure. I think he got away. He's probably hiding out on the base somewhere." She shrugged. "Guess we'll just have to hope that he choses to leave us be."  
  
Joyce shuddered slightly. "Rupert Giles turns out to be a bad guy."  
  
"Yeah, who'd a thunk it, huh?"  
  
There was a moment of silence between them, as they came to terms with what had just happened, knowing that their dear friend was no longer a friend at all. Then, Joyce sighed. "Well, come on. Let's get to packing." They started back toward their tent. "And remember, there's not much room on the trucks, so take only what you really need."  
  
"Does that mean we're leaving Dawn behind?"  
  
Her mother smirked. "Very funny, Buffy."  
  
THE END  
  
OK, so it isn't completely the end. There's also an epilogue coming. And possibly, there may be sequels down the line somewhere. I'm working on a prequel to it, as well, that will explain how all this came to be and some of the backstory for this world. That'll be in the works for a while though. So, go read the Epilogue. And thanks to everyone! I appreciate the support and all the reviews! 


	19. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
They chugged east, a three truck caravan trying desperately to stay out of sight. Xander and Spike knew where all the bases were for at least 500 miles, so they could easily avoid them. After that, they'd just have to be careful.  
  
They were only moving at night for now, until Spike and the newly-turned Xander had time to adjust fully to the sunlight. During the day, they took turns watching out for demon hordes that might try to steal their food, and listening to the army's movements through the CB's radio traffic, while the rest of the refugees slept.  
  
Spike marveled at how incompetent the vampire army could truly be. They were yet to realize what had happened to the unaccounted for transport trucks. It was assumed that they'd been checked out for some reason, and the soldiers attending them had been killed or had deserted. According to the bulletins that had come through the day after the incident, more than 90% of the soldiers at Outpost 14 were lost to "some sort of freak accident," including they believed Commander Rupert Giles, General William Donovan, Colonel Alexander Harris and all of the Council Heads. The remaining troops on the base had been on-duty in the outpost buildings, and had no idea what had occurred. An investigation was on-going.  
  
Spike was taking the first shift of guard duty, perched on the roof of one of the transports. It was a cool, damp morning with an overcast that seemed to threaten rain. He held a plastic mug of coffee between his hands, moving carefully to keep a flannel blanket around his shoulders.  
  
The sunlight wasn't the only thing he'd had to adjust to. None of his senses were as sharp as they had been. His body felt weak and tired, and he ached from head to toe most of the time. He was almost painfully aware of even a slight change in temperature, something he'd been completely oblivious to as a vampire. The strangest thing was his heartbeat. He could actually hear it sometimes, pounding in his ears, and it kept him awake everytime he lay down the sleep.  
  
He'd come to understand some things since he'd been changed. His body was equipped with organs (vampire research had catalogued and named them all many centuries ago, but had never explained what they were for) that seemed more or less useless. Only, once he'd become human, they started to function again, as though they were always meant to. As though, in becoming human, he'd gone back to his true, his intended, nature. He may have been wrong, but at least it gave him something to think about during the long hours on guard duty.  
  
A noise came from behind him, startling him from his thoughts. "It's butt-cold out here," Buffy said, climbing up to sit next to him. She was wrapped in a blanket and, underneath it, she was wearing a sweater that Spike hadn't seen in years.  
  
"So that's what happened to my sweater."  
  
She grinned. "I had to take something with me."  
  
Spike's face dropped just slightly. "It should have been me. I should have gone with you."  
  
Her smile faltered just slightly, then brightened again. She reached down and took his hand. "Don't you get it, Spike? You did come with me. When it really counted, you were at my side."  
  
He glanced around at the landscape, blinking back tears. "I'm just glad I finally did something right," he sniffed, wiping his eyes. His emotions were haywire, too, as a result of being human, and he hated that part. At least Xander was going through the same thing, which eased the embarrassment some.  
  
Buffy cuddled up beside him, laying her head on his shoulder. "You're here. Let's forget about the rest."  
  
He wrapped his arm and blanket around her shoulders, holding her close. "Sounds good to me."  
  
His heart skipped a beat when she brushed her lips across his, and he smiled. Oh yeah, he thought as she wrapped her arms around him, this is definitely worth it. 


End file.
